In a thrilling NHL pre-season matchup, the Ottawa Senators showcased their special teams prowess as they edged out the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a nail-biting game in Montreal. The Senators, with a record of 3-1-1 in pre-season, displayed excellent offensive skills on their power play to secure the victory.
Michael Amadio, Adam Gaudette, Ridly Greig, and Carter Yakemchuk were the heroes for the Senators, each finding the back of the net with precision on power-play goals. The Canadiens, with a pre-season record of 2-3, put up a valiant effort with goals coming from Jake Evans, Kirby Dach, and Oliver Kapanen, but ultimately fell short in the end.
The first period saw Montreal creating numerous scoring opportunities, though both teams remained scoreless for the first seven minutes. Evans broke the deadlock for the Canadiens with a stunning top corner shot that left the Senators goalie, Linus Ullmark, with no chance.
Despite Montreal’s early lead, the Senators fought back in the second period after Dach capitalized on a fortuitous bounce to double the Canadiens’ lead. Ottawa seized the opportunity on a five-minute power play after a major penalty to Xhekaj for elbowing Stutzle in the head, with Amadio, Gaudette, and Greig scoring three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 lead into the final frame.
As the game clock ticked down, a close call on a deflected shot had the Canadiens celebrating what they thought was a tying goal at the buzzer. However, a video review confirmed that the puck had crossed the line just after time expired, denying Montreal the equalizer.
The Senators continued their power-play dominance in the third period, with Yakemchuk scoring early to stretch Ottawa’s lead to 4-2. Despite a late goal from Kapanen for the Canadiens, the Senators held on for the 4-3 win, capping off a thrilling matchup between the two Canadian rivals.
The victory for the Senators highlighted their depth and resilience, while the Canadiens will look to regroup and end their three-game skid as the NHL regular season approaches. As the pre-season action heats up, both teams will aim to fine-tune their gameplay and gear up for the upcoming challenges of the regular season.
