2 quick takeaways from Senators' 3-2 overtime win in Boston against Bruins
The Ottawa Senators headed to Beantown to take on the Boston Bruins eager to turnaround their November and road struggles. Heading into Boston, the Senators had a 1-3-0 November record and 1-5-0 road record.
With two things needing a turnaround, playing the Bruins in their arena offered as a tough test with the Senators behind the Bruins in the Eastern Conference standings. However, it didn't bother the Senators one bit.
The Senators defeated the Bruins 3-2 in overtime at TD Garden to improve to 7-7-0 on the season. After playing poorly to start November and on the road, the Senators put their struggles aside in a big way.
The game was an emotional one for goaltender Linus Ullmark who made his return to Boston after three seasons. Ullmark received a lot of love and appreciation from the Bruin fans before and during the game. However, Ullmark needed to put his homecoming aside and help the Senators win, and the Senators deserved to win.
2. Team didn't collapse when they could've based on the past two games
For the past two games, the Senators have gotten to brutal starts that were too deep to get out of. Against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, the Senators allowed three goals in the third period and fell 5-1. On Thursday night against the New York Islanders, the Senators trailed 3-0 at one point, but two of the Islanders' three goals came in the second period. Against the Bruins, the Senators prevented another collapse.
After Josh Norris scored the only goal of the first period, the Bruins scored two goals in 15 seconds to take a 2-1 lead 5:06 into the second period. Instead of having the game get worse, the Senators re-grouped and Michael Amadio scored his first goal as a Senator with 2:44 remaining in the second period to tie the game. Amadio's goal was huge to not go into the second period trailing for the second consecutive game.
First #Sens goal ✅#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/twT1zvcqu8
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) November 10, 2024
The Senators could've folded after the Bruins took the lead in a 15-second span, but instead the team responded and continued to fight for the entire game. Amadio's first goal as a Senator in the second period changed the entire momentum in the game. The Senators defense would only allow one shot on goal in the third period and overtime combined which was impressive.
1. Two of the most important players come through in just a flash
Heading into tonight's game, much of the talk was on Linus Ullmark returning to Boston and facing off against his former goaltending partner Jeremy Swayman. With much attention on him, Ullmark needed to perform.
Ullmark began the second period rough by allowing in two goals in a 15-second span to put the Senators behind 2-1. Ullmark didn't make one save in the third period, but came up clutch in overtime.
In the start of the overtime, the Bruins had a two-on-one to win the game and Ullmark denied Elias Lindholm to end the game. After Ullmark's save, Brady Tkachuk scored the overtime winner just 21 seconds into overtime. In a dramatic overtime, the game would end quickly due to Ullmark and Tkachuk making a big play when the Senators needed them to each make a play.
HUGE SAVE FROM LINUS ON LINUS ULLMARK NIGHT IN THE NHL AND THEN HUGE GOAL BY THE TKAPTAIN YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SEE IT#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/uCHJkVO7t8
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) November 10, 2024
Tkachuk has continued to impress again with now recording at least one point in 12 of the Senators' 14 games played this season. Tkachuk is now at eight goals for this season.
For Ullmark, he made 14 saves in the win, but made the biggest save of the season in overtime to show he's still a top goaltender. A big save in overtime was needed after Ullmark's last start where he allowed in five goals on Tuesday against the Sabres.
The Senators will return to action on Tuesday night as they head to Scotiabank Arena for the first Battle of Ontario showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. Puck drop for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The Maple Leafs are 9-5-2 and have won their past three games.