OTTAWA, ON – The Ottawa Senators had six different goal scorers Saturday night to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-4.
Drake Batherson, Julien Gauthier, Patrick Brown, Alex DeBrincat, Egor Sokolov, Mark Kastelic and Claude Giroux, into an empty net, each scored for Ottawa (38-35-7). Cam Talbot made 19 saves.
Alex Killorn, Brandon Hagel, Victor Hedman and Brayden Point scored for Tampa (45-29-6), who have now lost three straight. Brian Elliott stopped 33 shots. This was Tampa’s final road game of the regular season and second loss to Ottawa in two weeks.
The Senators, officially eliminated from playoff contention and missing six regulars, gave the playoff-bound Lightning all they could handle.
Leading 4-3 to start the third Sokolov intercepted an Erik Cernak pass and proceeded to bury the turnover for his first NHL goal, but the Lightning continued to fight back and made it a one-goal game when Point was left all alone in front and tipped Hedman’s shot past Talbot.
Kastelic made it 6-4 and Giroux added an empty-netter.
The Senators added to their lead early in the second as Brown fired a shot that hit the crossbar and dropped straight down, but he was there to jam it home to make it 3-1.
A couple of minor penalties to Erik Brannstrom and Claude Giroux gave the Lightning a two-man advantage for 72 seconds and they made the most of it.
Hagel scored on a Steven Stamkos rebound to cut the lead to one and just 28 seconds later Hedman made it 3-3, but the Senators regained the lead with a power-play goal of their own when DeBrincat scored short side with 16 seconds remaining in the period.
The Senators got off to a solid start with Batherson getting a piece of an Erik Brannstrom shot just 30 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 lead.
Tampa made it 1-1 with a power-play goal when Killorn tipped a Stamkos shot past Talbot, but the Senators regained the lead midway through the period when Gauthier ripped a wrist shot past Elliott glove side.
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Nick Holden (5) looks to block a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning Winger Steven Stamkos (91) during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Tampa Bay Lightning Right Wing Alex Killorn (17) looks to tip a shot in front of Ottawa Senators Goalie Cam Talbot (33) during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Defenceman Erik Brannstrom (26) talks to Ottawa Senators Defenceman Nick Holden (5) during first period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Alex DeBrincat (12) battles Tampa Bay Lightning Defenceman Ian Cole (28) in front of Goalie Brian Elliott (1) during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Winger Patrick Brown (38) celebrates a goal with Defenceman Jake Sanderson (85), Left Wing Egor Sokolov (75) and Defenceman Artem Zub (2) during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Tampa Bay Lightning Goalie Brian Elliott (1) makes a save during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Alex DeBrincat (12) celebrates his goal with Left Wing Brady Tkachuk (7), Right Wing Drake Batherson (19) and Center Tim Stutzle (18) during second period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Egor Sokolov (75) skates by the bench to celebrate his first career NHL goal during third period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Goalie Cam Talbot (33) prepares to make a save during third period National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 08: Ottawa Senators Left Wing Brady Tkachuk (7) tosses his stick over the glass for a fan after National Hockey League action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators on April 8, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)
