Senators end skid with 4-1 win over Flyers

PHILADELPHIA – The Ottawa Senators’ Claude Giroux picked up a pair of assists on Saturday afternoon to lead the Sens to a 4-1 win over the Flyers, his former team.

Tony DeAngelo #77 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Mark Kastelic #47 of the Ottawa Senators each earn 5 minutes for fighting

“I didn’t want to get emotional,” Giroux said. “I wanted to play a good game. The position we are (in) as a team, we needed this win. You try to stay focused as much as you can.”

Cam Talbot made 37 saves in the Ottawa win. The victory ended a seven-game skid for the Sens.

“It was tough,” Giroux said of a Flyers video tribute. “The fans here, I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but they treated me well. So many memories in this building. That video, I wish they showed that video at the end of the game because they showed that video and then (I) had to go for a shift right away, so that was tough. But it’s part of the game. You’ve got to be professional and just do your job.”

Kevin Hayes was the goal scorer for the Flyers.

“You can’t win in the National Hockey League when you’re playing against two opponents, the opponent themselves and us,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “We did so many good things, but then we imploded. Just unnecessary penalties.”

Philadelphia dropped to 7-5-2.

Hayes hit for the game’s first goal in the opening period to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. his goal came at 6:05.

Thomas Chabot tied it, 1-1, in the first period./

Chabot left the game early in the middle frame after being hit into the boards/

Ottawa improved to 5-8-1.

“You could tell the way he was playing out there that he was our emotional leader throughout the entire game,” Talbot said.

Alex DeBrincat hit for two power play goal, once in the second period, and again early in the third to give the Senators a 3-1 lead.

“It’s nice to see the puck go in the net,” DeBrincat said. “Frustrating couple games before, it wasn’t going in. So it’s nice to get those in and hopefully keep going.”

Tim Stutzle added an empty-net goal with 4:31 left in the game for the 4-1 final.

“He’s (Giroux) been the face of the franchise for X-amount of years now and it’s awesome to see him come back, see the warm welcome he got,” DeBrincat said. “He obviously wanted that one a lot. We battled hard out there. He played a great game and kind of led us out there.”

Carter Hart made 23 saves in the Flyers loss.

“They get two power-play goals and I think that’s the game,” Hart said. “End of the day, my job as a goaltender is to stop the puck and I’m a big part of the penalty kill as well. I have to find a way to make some more saves.”

Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers looks over his glove hand for the deflected shot.

Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators uses his blocker to deflect a shot

Lukas Sedak #23 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators watch the puck in midair.

Joel Farabee #86 of the Philadelphia Flyers crashes into Jake Sanderson #85 and Goalie Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators

Wade Allison #57 of the Philadelphia Flyers takes a shot against Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators

Tony DeAngelo #77 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles Parker Kelly #45 of the Ottawa Senators

Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a glove save.

Jake Sanderson #85 of the Ottawa Senators

Scott Laughton #21 of the Philadelphia Flyers set the screen on Goalie Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators

Tim Sttzle #18 of the Ottawa Senators

Shane Pinto #57 of the Ottawa Senators

Thomas Chabot #72 of the Ottawa Senators scores against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period.

Thomas Chabot #72 of the Ottawa Senators

Kevin Hayes #13 of the Philadelphia Flyers

Erik Brannstrom #26 of the Ottawa Senators

Mathieu Joseph #21 of the Ottawa Senators

Nick Holden #5 of the Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators Claude Giroux #28 and Brady Tkachuk #7 take up positions in front of Philadelphia Flyers Goal Carter Hart #79

Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Jacob Benard-Docker #24 of the Ottawa Senators drop the gloves and square off in the first period.

Tyler Motte #14 of the Ottawa Senators

Travis Hamonic #23 of the Ottawa Senators and Goalie Cam Talbot #33

Derick Brassard #61 of the Ottawa Senators

Kevin Hayes #13 of the Philadelphia Flyers raises his hands in celebration of his goal off a shot by teammate Travis Konecny #11

A shot by Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers bounces off Ottawa Goalie Cam Talbot #33 as Kevin Hayes #13 of the Philadelphia Flyers waits for the rebound

Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers with a backhand shot against Goalie Cam Talbot #33 of the Ottawa Senators

Jacob Benard-Docker #24 of the Ottawa Senators

Jacob Benard-Docker #24 of the Ottawa Senators attempts to clear Nicolas Deslauriers #44 of the Philadelphia Flyers from in front of Ottawa Goalie Cam Talbot #33