Senators’ Triumphant Victory Over the Unbeaten Lightning
The Ottawa Senators, led by a stellar performance from Drake Batherson, with two goals and an assist, managed to hand the Tampa Bay Lightning their first defeat of the season. The Senators secured a thrilling 5-4 win in Saturday’s NHL showdown.
Key Contributors to the Senators’ Victory
Josh Norris, Brady Tkachuk, and Noah Gregor also found the back of the net for the Senators (3-2-0). In addition, Anton Forsberg’s performance between the pipes was noteworthy, stopping 25 shots on goal. Jake Sanderson, the playmaker of the match, delivered three assists.
Gregor’s short-handed goal, his season’s first, came at a crucial time, 6:17 into the third period, extending the Senators’ lead to 5-3.
Lightning’s Fight Back
The Lightning (3-1-0) responded through Nikita Kucherov, who continued his impressive start to the season by scoring his NHL-leading seventh goal. Nick Paul, Jake Guentzel, and Mitchell Chaffee also got onto the scoresheet for Tampa Bay.
Forsberg’s crucial save on Kucherov with just 56.4 seconds left on the clock was a key moment of the game. Despite Andrei Vasilevsky’s effort, stopping 23 shots, Tampa Bay couldn’t avoid the defeat.
Game Highlights and Key Statistics
Senators’ goalkeeper Linus Ullmark was absent for the third consecutive match due to a reported strain. Despite participating in practice this week, he didn’t make the cut as the backup.
The Lightning failed to capitalize on the man advantage, going 0 for 3, despite scoring on a power play in their first three games.
Pivotal Moment of the Match
With a fragile 4-3 lead, the Senators managed to kill a 48-second, two-man advantage early in the third period. This was a turning point in the match.
Star Player’s Performance
Kucherov, with seven goals and two assists over four games, has had the best start to a season in his career so far.
What’s Next for Both Teams
The Lightning are set to visit the Maple Leafs on Monday, while the Senators will take on Utah on Tuesday.