Tkachuk, Ullmark Lead Senators to 3-2 OT Win Over Penguins – Hockey Writers – NHL News

The Ottawa Senators (15-13-2) defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins (13-15-4) by a score of 3-2 on an overtime goal from Brady Tkachuk.

This is the first time that the Senators have won three games in a row this season and now they are in the playoffs. This marks the first time they have clinched a playoff spot in December since 2016. The Penguins, after beating the Montreal Canadiens in their last game, winning 9-2, couldn't get more than one goal past Linus Ullmark.

Recap of the game

The Senators, who were in the second half of the comeback, were planning to go with Anton Forsberg instead, but after an apparent injury before the game, it was Ullmark who pulled them out. It's the third time Ullmark has played in back-to-back days in his career.

The first half started slowly, with both teams failing to register a goal in the first four minutes of the game, but before halftime, Senators forward Claude Giroux carried the puck into the offensive zone. In a great display of patience, he pulled Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry out of the crease and carried the ball around the net, finding Thomas Chabot at the hashmarks who fired the puck past Jarry for a 1-0 lead.

There would be no more scoring until the third period, but between the goals, there was a high level of physicality. Sidney Crosby hit Shane Pinto, Tyler Kleven ran over Noel Acciari, and those were just outstanding hits. It looked like the game was going to be chippy, but things settled down shortly after that.

At the beginning of the third period, Blake Lizotte tied things for the Penguins after helping to force a turnover behind the Senators' net, and after the chaos in front of Ullmark, Lizotte was able to bury his seventh goal of the season to bring. the match ended 1-1.

Just a few minutes later, Chabot had the puck in the offensive zone, and he cycled around the Penguins defenders, and with a cross-crease, the puck was directed off the skate of Drake Batherson and past Jarry.

With more than seven minutes left in the game, Kris Letang picked up the puck, carried the puck into the neutral zone as Penguins players stood in front of Ullmark, and fired a seemingly harmless shot into the net. but it went through the traffic and hit the Ullmark.

Jarry, who made 28 of 31 saves, has been finding his footing since joining the American Hockey League, and recorded a .903 save percentage tonight. Ullmark, who is nearly undefeated in his past six games, has made 26 of 28 saves, which equates to a .929 SV%.

Both the Senators and Penguins are off for a few days and will play their next games on Tuesday. Dec. 17. The Penguins will host the LA Kings, while the Senators will head to Seattle as they begin a nine-game road trip as the World Junior Championship will be on their home court.