9 stitches, one misplaced tooth, one time beyond regulation objective.
That was Brady Tkachuk’s stat line on Thursday night time as Ottawa’s captain scored 55 seconds into additional time to offer the streaking Senators a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.
“Don’t really feel too good. Don’t really feel too handsome both, proper now. Thank God we obtained the Christmas footage performed already,” quipped Tkachuk, flashing a large grin beneath the restore job above his lip.
Ottawa has gained 5 video games in a row, the NHL’s longest lively win streak.
Tkachuk’s franchise-best tenth profession time beyond regulation objective got here on a two-on-one instantly after goaltender Linus Ullmark turned apart Flames ahead Jonathan Huberdeau on a two-on-one break.
With the puck mendacity unfastened, Ullmark charged out and flung it up ice to Tim Stutzle, whose shot was stopped by Dan Vladar. Stutzle obtained his stick on the rebound and chipped it to Tkachuk, who scored his team-leading sixteenth objective.
Earlier within the recreation, Tkachuk wanted medical consideration after Flames captain Mikael Backlund tried to carry Tkachuk’s stick and as a substitute caught him within the face.
Get each day Nationwide information
Get the day’s prime information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
“Clearly took a nasty lower to the face, the man’s a warrior,” stated Senators coach Travis Inexperienced.
As Backlund went off for a double-minor and Tkachuk went to the locker room, Ottawa went onto the ability play however couldn’t capitalize.
Within the third interval, Ridly Greig scored a short-handed objective at 6:24, which was adopted 52 seconds later by Huberdeau’s power-play objective tying the sport once more at 2-2.
“Clearly it wasn’t our prettiest recreation,” stated Greig, who scored his first objective in 20 video games. “However when you possibly can squeak one out like that, good issues can come.”
Ottawa’s improved play has obtained them again in a playoff spot within the Japanese Convention. They’re within the second wild-card spot, two factors again of the Boston Bruins with two video games in hand.
“We’re using a superb excessive proper now,” stated Tkachuk. “Clearly it wasn’t our greatest recreation and we all know we should be quite a bit higher. Nevertheless it exhibits the maturity and the teachings that we’ve realized within the adversity that we’ve confronted, that we will deal with something and simply discover a technique to grease out a win.”
Two video games right into a stretch of 9 video games in a row on the street — 4 earlier than the vacation break and 5 after — the Senators are again in motion in Vancouver on Saturday night time.
“It wasn’t the cleanest recreation performed shortly,” admitted Inexperienced. “Most likely would have misplaced that recreation three weeks in the past and located a technique to win tonight.”
The guests obtained one other stellar efficiency from Ullmark in web. He made 29 stops to win his seventh recreation in a row.
“Boys are feeling good proper now. Clearly, Ullmark’s an enormous a part of that, he’s been enjoying lights-out,” stated Greig. “So credit score to him, however every part’s been coming collectively and we’re enjoying (with) much more (confidence).”
It’s not the primary time Tkachuk has been lower within the face.
“It’s occurred twice to me. So, yeah, I’ve already despatched footage to my household group chat and I’ve already seen texts again,” Tkachuk stated. “Hopefully it’s a lesson realized for everyone to put on their mouthguard.”
Tkachuk is aware of Backlund properly as he was a longtime teammate of Brady’s brother, Matthew, now a star with the Florida Panthers.
“He apologized,” he stated. “No onerous emotions. Clearly he didn’t do it deliberately. It occurs.”
© 2024 The Canadian Press
Source link