Game Review: Senators Lose 5-4 in Dallas, Record Drops to Season Low

For the first time all season, the Ottawa Senators have fallen to three games below .500.

The Senators collapsed on the road in the third period to lose 5-4 to the Dallas Stars. Jakob Chychrun led the way for the Senators with three assists in the first period. Down 4-3 in the third, Dallas stormed back with two goals in 44 seconds to complete their comeback. With the loss, the Senators record falls to 11-14-0.

It was announced right before the game that Vladimir Tarasenko would miss the contest due to a family matter.

The first period was filled with cavalier defence, plenty of goals, and untrustworthy goaltending, with injuries on both sides.

The Senators scored on their first shot, 1:16 into the game on a seeing-eye shot from Travis Hamonic that went through many bodies and snuck through Jake Oettinger.

Ninety-five seconds later, the Senators made it 2-0, thanks to Drake Batherson. His initial shot was blocked, but he collected the puck and threw a wrist shot past Oettinger.

A short time later, Oettinger left the game with an apparent lower-body injury and was replaced by Scott Wedgewood.

The Stars cut the lead to one, scoring on the powerplay. Jamie Benn stole the puck from Jake Sanderson behind the Senators' net; it led to a beautiful passing play, finished off by Joe Pavelski

The goal fest was only getting started.

Both teams were penalized in quick succession, leading to nearly two minutes of 4 on 4 play.

After a nice pass from Josh Norris, Claude Giroux flew past the Dallas defence, almost beating Wedgewood with a forehand deke. But Norris arrived to swat in the loose puck to make it 3-1 Ottawa.

That lasted only 10 seconds as Esa Lindell scored for the Stars to make it 3-2 off a seemingly harmless wrist shot. It beat Forsberg, who was out of position, unable to cut off the angle in his crease.

During the first intermission, the Senators learned that Mathieu Joseph would not return to the game. Joseph left with a lower-body injury and seemed to be in seriou s pain heading down the tunnel.

Batherson's night kept getting better as he scored his 2nd goal of the night to restore the two-goal lead. Batherson drove to the paint to pick up a rebound off a Tim Stutzle shot and put it up over Wedgewood, who had fallen to his knees.

The Senators' special team issues, which have plagued them, came home to roost. Not only did the Senators not score on a powerplay, but they allowed Dallas to cut their lead to 4-3 on a shorthanded goal. Thomas Harley slid past Stutzle and cut in front of Forsberg for a shot in tight. Forsberg made the initial stop, but Harley's persistence paid off, nudging the puck between the pads. 

The Senators started the 3rd period with the announcement that Rourke Chartier would not return with an upper-body injury, leaving the Senators with only ten forwards to finish the game.

The Stars were rewarded for their strong push to start the third period. They tied the game at 4 when Miro Heiskanen finished off a broken play from Wyatt Johnson in the slot; Heiskanen collected the puck to snap it by Forbserg's short side.

Only 44 seconds later, former Senator Matt Duchene scored what would be the game winner, haunting his old team with a backhand pass that redirected off Norris past a helpless Forsberg.

The Senators had some chances in the dying moments, but they weren't dangerous. With the 5-4 loss, the Senators are now 0-2 to start their five-game road trip.

The Senators will play the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night in Vegas at 8 pm.