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SENATORS 5, PENGUINS 0

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The Ottawa Senators had no drawback scoring targets on Saturday.

The Senators ended a four-game dropping streak and took care of enterprise by skating to a 5-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on the PPG Paints Area to begin a back-to-back weekend that continues on Sunday at house in opposition to the Dallas Stars.

Rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen wasn’t examined, however he made 30 stops for his first Nationwide Hockey League shutout. Claude Giroux had three assists to paved the way offensively, whereas Shane Pinto scored twice. Drake Batherson, Tyler Kleven and Tim Stutzle additionally chipped in with targets.

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This was the 1,a hundredth win in franchise historical past and it got here in Ottawa’s 2,482nd sport.

“We performed an excellent sport. We had possibilities and we have been in a position to put it within the internet,” Giroux instructed TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson. “With that you simply get confidence, and I feel we performed the fitting method tonight for 60 minutes.”

It was additionally the Senators’ sixth straight win in opposition to the Penguins and it couldn’t have come at a greater time as a result of Pittsburgh is likely one of the golf equipment Ottawa is battling for the ultimate wildcard playoff spot within the Nationwide Hockey League’s Japanese Convention.

Ottawa hasn’t misplaced to Pittsburgh since Jan. 20, 2023.

“We have been strong proper from the drop of the puck,” Senators head coach Travis Inexperienced instructed Wilson. “We seemed like a staff that was able to play with some conviction tonight, and it was a pleasant highway win.”

Inexperienced instructed the gamers to attempt to get their “swagger again” and so they did in an enormous method.

LEEVI GETS A CHANCE

There’s nothing like throwing the child to the wolves.

Merilainen made his fifth look this season, and all his begins have come on the highway. This was the primary time he had confronted the Penguins, however the Senators gave him offensive help and performed nicely in entrance of him.

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Booed off the ice after a 4-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday on the Canadian Tire Centre, the Senators have been in a position to get strong goaltending from Merilainen, and we’ve came upon on many nights how that may be a distinction.

“It feels superior to get the primary one out of the best way, however it feels nearly as good as any win,” Merilainen stated.

This time the Penguins have been booed off the ice.

Merilainen got here into this sport with a 2-2-0 file. Defenceman Thomas Chabot grabbed the puck on the buzzer as a souvenir for the younger netminder.

“That’s superior. Moments like this you get pleasure from slightly bit extra. He’s a terrific child,” Giroux stated.

CHANGING LINES

Inexperienced shifted all his ahead strains round for Saturday’s sport.

Why not? Nothing else had labored for this staff recently and he needed to attempt one thing. It paid dividends as a result of the final time the Senators scored 5 targets or extra was Dec. 21 in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks.

The Senators chased Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic at 7:06 of the second interval after he allowed his fifth objective on 16 photographs. He didn’t transfer as Stutzle picked the unfastened puck out from between Nedeljkovic’s legs and put it house.

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Batherson scored his first in 11 video games to finish his drought.

“It was simply an general good staff win,” Pinto instructed Wilson. “It was good to get on the scoresheet. It was good up and down the lineup contributing.”

The Senators completed Saturday’s sport with out winger Cole Reinhardt. He took a success from Pittsburgh’s Jesse Puljujarvi and didn’t return due to an upper-body damage.

STRONG FIRST

The Senators couldn’t have scripted a greater begin.

They held the Penguins to 0-for-4 on the ability play and Pinto scored twice, together with a short-handed effort at 19:04 to offer the Senators a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes.

“The craziest (interval) of the yr to this point,” Pinto instructed TSN’s Gord Miller. “The final 4 video games have been fairly irritating. Simply getting three within the first builds our confidence. We’ve simply bought to maintain taking part in the fitting method.”

There have been scrums and half-hour of penalties assessed to each groups.

Two targets in a span of 1:58 gave the Senators a 2-0 lead at 5:14. Pinto scored his first in eight video games with the person benefit, firing one house from the faceoff circle.

Kleven’s second of the season opened the scoring on Ottawa’s first shot. That was the ninth time this season that the Penguins gave up a objective on the primary shot, and this one appeared to hit the Penguins’ Noel Acciari on the best way into the web.

Pittsburgh challenged that Stutzle had interfered with Nedeljkovic’s, however the NHL’s scenario room didn’t agree. It was the Senators’ first time opening the scoring in six video games, and it got here at 3:16.

“The presence of Stutzle within the crease didn’t impair Nedeljkovic’s skill to play his place,” the league stated.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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