The 28th-place Ottawa Senators took down the fifth-place Dallas Stars 4-1 on Thursday night.
Josh Norris scored twice as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Dallas Stars on Thursday night 4-1. And they made it look easy, outshooting Dallas 30-15.
Norris had been riding a five-game goalless drought and linemate Drake Batherson, who set up both of his goals, had been on a five-game pointless skid.
Thomas Chabot and Shane Pinto both scored with second-period wrist shots from the top of the circle. Chabot’s goal was Ottawa’s third of the game, chasing Dallas starter Jake Oettinger from the game. It seemed like a harsh decision from Stars head coach Peter DeBoer, with his team only down 3-1 at the midway point of the game.
If DeBoer was trying to wake up his group, it had no effect. The Senators locked things down in the third period, giving Dallas absolutely no reason to think they might be able to stage a comeback.
Norris's second goal of the game was a beauty, as much for the pass as the finish. Batherson had the puck at centre ice and saw Norris sprinting to the Dallas blue line, so he feathered a soft saucer pass into the Stars' zone for Norris to skate into. Norris grabbed it and tucked the puck through Oettinger to make it 2-1, a goal that would stand up as the game winnner.
Joe Pavelski had the lone Dallas goal.
After scuffling through a three-game stretch last week against fellow bottom feeders Columbus, Anaheim and Chicago, the Senators looked right at home this week against playoff teams Tampa Bay, Florida and Dallas, grabbing five of six points.
They don't seem as stuck anymore, like Anton Forsberg's stick last night.
The Senators have another big dog coming to town on Saturday night as they host the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.