Milestones and Drake Batherson's clutch gene help Senators to 3-2 win vs Ducks

After five days off from their last game, which resulted in a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Ottawa Senators began a seven-game road trip, starting with a game against the Anaheim Ducks.

In two games against the Ducks last season, the Senators earned three of a possible four points. In a new season, it would take the final minutes for the Senators to earn a pivotal win.

The Senators defeated the Ducks 3-2 at Honda Center. With the win, the Senators improved to 10-6-4 overall on the season.

After playing phenomenally in the AHL by leading the Belleville Senators in points and assists this season. Stephen Halliday was called up this past Tuesday. Halliday would make his NHL debut against the Ducks and make an impact.

In the first period, a milestone was reached. With under four minutes remaining in the period, Nick Cousins blasted a slapshot past Petr Mrazek to give the Senators a 1-0 lead for the only goal of the period. With his goal, Cousins recorded his 200th career point.

In the second period, the Ducks regained momentum by scoring two goals in a span of 1:26 to take a 2-1 lead. Before the period ended, the Senators' offense got momentum back on their side after many failed chances.

After a woeful powerplay struggles, Shane Pinto scored a powerplay goal with under one minute remaining in the period to tie the game at two. Pinto's goal was his 10th of the season. On Pinto's goal, Halliday recorded the primary assist to record his first NHL point. With the game tied at two, a huge third period awaited.

In the third period, it was a stalemate, and overtime looked like a possibility. Then, clutch goal scoring happened. With 1:58 remaining in regulation, Drake Batherson deflected a Jake Sanderson shot to give the Senators a 3-2 lead. The Senators' defense and Linus Ullmark would fight off a last surge by the Ducks' offense to win the game. In the end, Ullmark finished with 24 saves.

For the Senators to beat the best team in the Pacific Division entering tonight's game with a comeback win says a lot about the team. Two huge points were earned, given how the rest of the Eastern Conference games were played out throughout the night. Starting off the road trip with a win can also be a boost of confidence for the team as a whole.

The Senators will continue their road trip on Saturday night when they take on the San Jose Sharks for the first time this season. Puck drop is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET at SAP Center. Last season, the Senators swept the two-game season series against the Sharks.