Cozens breaks a tie with a crucial third-period goal, securing a hard-fought 4-1 victory and keeping playoff hopes alive for the Senators.
Dylan Cozens snapped a 1-1 tie early in the third period as the Senators went on to defeat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Thursday night in the second game of their four-game Western road swing.
The victory looked nothing like Ottawa’s previous stop in Alberta. Two nights earlier in Edmonton, the Senators lost 5-4 in overtime after squandering a 4-2 third-period lead.
Thursday’s game in Calgary was the polar opposite as the Sens outshot the Flames 37-20.
Calgary opened the scoring late in the first period when Martin Pospisil capitalized on an Ottawa turnover. Senators defenceman Nick Jensen accidentally over-skated the puck in his own zone, allowing Calgary to pounce. Pospisil finished the play for his first goal of the season, sending the Flames to the intermission with a 1-0 lead.
Ottawa answered midway through the second period, and the goal ended a lengthy drought for Lars Eller. Eller snapped home a shot off a beautiful feed from Ridly Greig to tie the game at 1. The goal was Eller’s third of the season and his first since October 30.
The game remained tight heading into the third period before the Sens finally broke through on the power play.
At 6:33, Cozens ripped a wrist shot past Calgary goaltender Devin Cooley, the game's first star with 35 saves. The goal gave Ottawa its first lead and it stood up as the game-winner.
The finish wasn’t without a little drama.
Artem Zub was called for a penalty with just over three-and-a-half minutes to play, giving Calgary a late power-play opportunity. The Flames pulled their goaltender to create a 6-on-4, but this just in, the Flames don't have the Oilers' power play and Ottawa’s much-maligned penalty kill held firm.
Tim Stützle and Shane Pinto put the game away with a pair of empty net goals. Stutzle's was a shorthanded effort, while Pinto’s goal was meaningless but welcome. He had entered the game with just three goals in his last 26 games.
Stützle was held off the scoresheet for most of the night before his late goal, but for the second straight game he may have been Ottawa’s best player, consistently driving play and creating chances.
The win was an important one for the Senators as they try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
Ottawa not only picked up two points in Calgary, but also got some help out of town. The Nashville Predators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-3 on Thursday night, tightening the Eastern wild-card race.
With 21 games still to play, the Senators now sit four points behind Boston for the final wild-card spot and six points back of the Montreal Canadiens, who hold the first wild card.
With the trade deadline less than a day away (Friday at 3 pm), Thursday's results won't necessarily push general manager Steve Staios into full buyer mode, but the Sens still have every reason to believe they can claw their way back in the race.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News