The puck goes off the post behind Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg as Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot (right) and Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle look on during second period NHL action, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – Anton Forsberg stopped 22 shots and recorded a shutout against the Seattle Kraken for the second year in a row, lifting the Ottawa Senators to a 3-0 win on Saturday.
Forsberg, who led Ottawa (6-5-0) to a 2-0 win against Seattle last December, made 22 saves as the Senators bounced back after losing to the New York Rangers Friday night.
Brady Tkachuk scored the go-ahead goal at 11:11 (which prompted some in the crowd to chant, “Alfie!” in honour of the team’s former captain) in the second period – his team-leading seventh of the season.
Adam Gaudette opening the scoring in the first period with a backhanded chip-in after a coach’s challenge overturned an initial no-goal ruling.
Gaudette has now scored six goals in his last five games and was tied for the team lead in goals before Tkachuk – who has recorded seven points in his last four games – netted a goal of his own.
Tim Stützle added an empty netter with just over two minutes remaining to put the game on ice.
The Kraken (5-6-1) had plenty of chances as the Senators began to run out of gas on the second night of a back-to-back, but had no answer for Forsberg.
Five minutes into the second period on a Seattle power play, Jared McCann rifled a shot off the post to nearly equalize things but that was as close as they got. Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer made 20 saves in a losing effort.
Ottawa is now back to .500 this month. The last time the Senators had a winning record in November was in 2016.
TAKEAWAYS
Ottawa: The Senators had the entire team firing from top to bottom – from the captain, Tkachuk, on the first line, to Gaudette on the fourth line – while Forsberg stood on his head after arriving home after midnight from New York.
Seattle: In the third game of a five-game road trip, the Kraken have now lost two in a row after dropping Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. The Kraken were 0-for-4 on the power play.
KEY MOMENT
Five minutes into the third period, as the Senators were showing signs of slowing down, Forsberg went post-to-post to make a sensational save on Jordan Eberle to keep the game at 2-0.
KEY STAT
Ottawa coach Travis Green is now 3-for-3 on successfully overturning calls on review this season.
UP NEXT
Kraken: Visit the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
Senators: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.
