In Ottawa, the Senators picked up a 4-+1 win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Brady Tkachuk scored off the power play in the middle frame t snap a 1-1 tie, and help send Ottawa to the win.
Anton Forsberg made 29 saves for the Sens in the win.
“I wouldn’t say I felt the best of all the games I’ve played so far,” said Forsberg. “But it was a step in the right direction. I’ve had a few games where I felt really good and let in one or two [shots] I should have had, which is tough sometimes. Tonight, it was a complete game for me and for the team, so it was nice.”
Ottawa improved to 6-9-1.
Austin Watson scored his first of the season in the opening period.
“I don’t think I’ve ever killed so many penalties in the first two periods of a game,” Watson said. “But credit to our penalty killers, starting with [Forsberg], who made some awesome saves. Killing a couple off there early kind of gave us our mojo a little bit on the kill.”
The Senators were 1-for 5 with the extra attacker.
Jake Sanderson had two assists for the Sens.
“The way Jake played tonight, that’s a glimpse into the future of him playing against everyone’s top lines,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said of Sanderson. “With the game on the line, he’s blocking shots. It’s a heck of an effort.”
Tage Thompson tied the game, 1-1, in the second period for the Sabres.
Buffalo dropped to 7-10-0.
“I think we’re gripping the stick too much,” the Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin said. “We have our chances, but we can’t really execute right now. We need more swagger to our game. I don’t know how many chances, but we had a ton today.”
The Sabres have now lost seven straight.
“We did have chances,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t convert. That’s anybody’s guess why not. We had a couple posts and crossbars, but that’s the way it goes.
“We’re in a little bit of a frustrating time with a lack of success recently. We have a young team that’s going to go through it. We have to keep pushing.”
Buffalo’s power play had its chances, but was 1-for-8 with the extra skater.
Alex DeBrincat gave the Sens a little more breathing room in the third period when wristed home a marker for a 3-1 lead.
“Too many penalties,” DeBrincat said. “It’s hard to get a flow when we’re always in the box or they’re in the box, for that matter. It’s hard to get that 5-on-5 consistency, but I thought we did a good job sticking with it. One-goal game going into the third period, and we did a good job and stuck with it the whole game, so it’s a good win for us.”
Tim Stützle added a late empty-net goal for the 4-1 final.
Eric Comrie got the start for the Sabres, he made 22 saves before leaving the game in the second period following a collision.
Craig Anderson made 14 in relief. Anderson was in his return to Ottawa for the first time since signing with Buffalo.
“I just tried not to be emotional,” Anderson said. “I spent a lot of time here, and seeing some of the memories, it was nice to kind of flash back. It’s in the past; I definitely enjoyed it.
“A great part of my life, a great time in my life. I’m thankful for that. It was great to kind of relive the moment and kind of be remembered. It was nice.”
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