The Ottawa Senators posted their third win over the last four games to slowly get away from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
D.J. Smith’s guys were better than the Detroit Red Wings at the Little Caesars Arena in Motor City, mostly because of their excellent performance in the second period, when they scored three goals, shutting down the hosts on the other end.
The guests from the Canadian capital showed their mental strength, performing a comeback following a rollercoaster in the first period, and holding on all the attacks of the hosts in the final sequence. This was their third road-win this season.
“We’ve been working hard to get some wins on the road, but we haven’t had much success,” Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. “We’re really happy to come into Detroit and get two points. That’s big.”
Anthony Duclair was in the middle of attention, as the 24-year left winger posted two goals and an assist in this contest, harassing the Red Wings throughout the entire game. He scored the opening goal of the game, with 3:08 into the first, after getting Thomas Chabot’s pass with his glove, and easily beating Jonathan Bernier.
Ottawa Senators would reply half a minute later when Filip Hronek scored, but the call was overturned after coach Smith challenged for an offside prior to the goal. Still, that didn’t prevent the Red Wings from beating superb Anders Nilsson. It was Robby Fabri who tied the game at 9:57, after a lucky turn of events for him. Detroit’s winger took a shot at Ottawa’s goal, with the puck hitting Logan Brown and finishing inside the net.
Valtteri Filppula scored a shorthanded goal 1:28 to go until the end of the first, to turn the table and give the momentum to the hosts. But that didn’t last for too long.
Duclair again netted to level the score, exactly five minutes since the opening of the second, sending the puck near the left post, not giving a chance for Bernier to react.
Pageau broke the tie 57 seconds afterward, with a quick breakaway, and Brady Tkachuk added another at 10:22 of the second frame.
Detroit went all or nothing in the last period, outshooting the guests 16-3, and practically camping in front of Nilsson’s net. But Ottawa’s Senators goalie allowed just one goal, keeping the win for his team. Even though he faced numerous challenges in the late part of the contest, he was, according to his words, pretty calm.
“Even when they got that late goal, I was comfortable that we were going to ride out the storm and come out with two points,” he said.
The Red Wings’ head coach Jeff Blashill was very unhappy with the way his team played the second period.
“We were okay in the first period, but we were terrible in the second period,” Blashill said.
Up next, Detroit (7-13-3) travels to Columbus to meet the Blue Jackets this Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Senators (9-11-1) have a clash against the Montreal Canadiens already tomorrow. After that, Smith’s team awaits the New York Rangers on Friday.
