The Senators finally get the complete 60-minute game they've been looking for, taking the lead and not letting go.
Tim Stutzle and the Ottawa Senators got back on track on Thursday night in a 6-2 trampling of the Montreal Canadiens. Stutzle scored his first goal in 11 games, along with two assists.
Brady Tkachuk, Parker Kelly, and Artem Zub each had two points, and Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves.
It was the season's first game between the two clubs, and the Senators still trail Montreal by 13 points with five games in hand. The win improves Ottawa's record to 16-24-0 on the season.
Brady Tkachuk opened the scoring for the Senators when he picked up the puck in the neutral zone right after a great Montreal scoring chance. Ridly Greig's pass sent Tkachuk on a breakaway down the right wing, and he squeezed a wrist shot under Primeau's blocker.
Quickly after, Stutzle picked up the puck at his blue line after David Savard pinched in the Senators zone. That allowed for a two-on-one with Mathieu Joseph, and Stutzle snapped a shot past Cayden Primeau to make it 2-0 Senators.
The Canadiens would respond quickly to cut the lead to 2-1 when Sean Monahan stole the puck from Jacob Bernard-Docker and found Cole Caufield at the right hash marks. Caulfield's laser of a shot was flubbed by Korpisalo trying to make the glove save, and the puck would dribble into the net.
Moments later, Caufield boomed a one-timer that glanced off the post at the same spot where he had just scored.
The Senators regained their two-goal lead to go up 3-1 when Rourke Chartier shoved a juicy rebound past Primeau.
As the second period closed, the Senators would make it 4-1 when Vladimir Tarasenko scored in transition with a beautiful wrist shot. The goal was all set up by Stutzle, who caught the puck at centre ice, drawing the Habs defenders in and then sliding the puck to Tarasenko.
Claude Giroux appeared to make it 5-1, scoring short-handed, but it was ruled that Parker Kelly interfered with Primeau, and the goal was disallowed.
In the third period, the Senators extended the lead to 5-1 when Stutzle single-handedly weaved and bobbed past a tormented David Savard, then gave a no-look back pass to Joseph, whose one-timer beat a confused Primeau.
Stutzle and Brendan Gallagher looked like they might square off in the third, but with a 5-1 lead, Stutzle didn't bother with him. The two have history, as Gallagher called out Stutzle for diving in years prior.
Parker Kelly sealed the win with an empty netter to make it 6-1 Senators. Michael Pezetta scored late for Montreal to make the final 6-2.
Senators head coach Jacques Martin was happy with his team's defensive performance, emphasizing the areas where they played how he'd like them to.
"Puck management, making sure that we make the right decision with the puck," Martin said. "Cutting down the turnovers, reading the situation – whether it's a situation where you put the puck in the zone and retrieve it, or just sometimes it's a matter of getting the puck out of your zone."
Tkachuk echoed his coaches' thoughts when asked about the defensive details they've been working on that worked against the Canadiens.
"I think just kind of the fundamentals," Tkachuk said. "Scan the ice before you get (the puck), knowing where guys are, communicating, talking, and helping each other out. Playing fast, pressure-type hockey."
Meanwhile, Joseph was happy about Stutzle breaking his 10-game goalless drought and deciding to shoot on the two-on-one he scored on.
"Yeah, he almost apologized to me for not getting me the puck," Joseph said. "I'm like, dude, just shoot."
Stutzle spoke about his kerfuffle with Gallagher post-game.
"He's been all over me, but I don't really care to be honest with you," Stutzle said. "You're up 5-1. There is zero need to fight him. He told me I was scared of him. I see it completely different. But that's fine."
The Senators' next game is a matinee against the league-leading Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at 3 pm at the Canadian Tire Centre.