In an unusual twist Tuesday night, a thunderstorm in Ottawa caused a 30-minute power outage at Canadian Tire Centre before the Senators could even hit the ice. Once the lights came back on, the Senators wasted no time bringing their own thunder, crushing the St. Louis Blues in a decisive 8-1 blowout. It was a night where everything clicked for the Senators, led by a four-point performance from Tim Stutzle and an inspired all-around effort by the team.
Returning from a tough 1-2 road trip out west, the Senators faced the typical worry about sluggish energy in their first game back on home ice. But despite the literal blackout, they surged with intensity from the get-go, clearly ready to put on a show. The Sens lit up the Blues’ defense, jumping to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period and maintaining control for the remainder of the game. Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Adam Gaudette each contributed two goals in the victory, while Stutzle, Claude Giroux, and Drake Batherson added two assists each to pile on the points. Goalie Linus Ullmark looked solid in the net, securing his first win since opening night.
Just over a minute into the game, Josh Norris opened the scoring after cutting through a sluggish Blues defense. Claude Giroux sent a well-placed centering pass from the boards, which Norris tipped past St. Louis goaltender Joel Hofer. The early goal signaled a dominant night ahead for Ottawa. Less than three minutes later, Zack Ostapchuk, playing in his first game of the season, made an immediate impact with an assist on Noah Gregor’s goal, his first NHL point. Michael Amadio joined the fun with a well-timed pass to Gregor, setting up a sharp finish that left the Blues reeling.
Toward the end of the period, an unfortunate Blues turnover at Ottawa’s blue line created an unexpected opportunity for Ottawa to turn defense into offense. With Stutzle and Tkachuk out of position on defense, they suddenly found themselves in perfect alignment to break down the ice on a 2-on-1. Stutzle took the puck all the way, picking his spot and sending it just inside the far post to cap off a commanding first period with a 3-0 lead.
The second period didn’t offer any relief for the Blues, who suffered a major blow when winger Kasperi Kapanen, previously with the Maple Leafs, took a hard hit from Zack MacEwen. Kapanen left the ice early and did not return, forcing the Blues to play shorthanded for the rest of the game. Meanwhile, the Sens’ aggressive offensive play continued to keep the Blues on their heels.
Early in the third period, Stutzle struck again. After arriving late to the action, he took a patient pass from Thomas Chabot, who had calmly waited for the German forward to find the open space. Stutzle one-timed the puck past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington on the short side, adding yet another highlight to his standout performance.
Despite the dominant showing from Ullmark, the Blues managed to break his shutout with just over 11 minutes remaining when Dylan Holloway connected on a power-play one-timer. Still, the Senators remained firmly in control, undeterred by the late goal. Adam Gaudette further widened the lead late in the third, capitalizing on a sloppy giveaway from the Blues and slotting in Ottawa’s eighth goal of the night. It marked the Blues’ worst loss in nearly four years—a humbling experience as they struggled to contain the unrelenting Senators.
With the win, the Senators improved to 5-4, exorcising some of the frustration from their recent road losses and finding an offensive spark as they move deeper into the season. Now, with momentum firmly on their side, they prepare for their next matchup against the New York Rangers on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, hoping to build on this standout performance in front of a different audience.
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