Senators Ride Ullmark’s Return, Stutzle and Tkachuk Shine in 4-1 Win Over Devils
Linus Ullmark didn’t just return to the crease on Saturday night-he took command of it. In his first game back from a leave of absence, the veteran netminder turned aside 26 shots, anchoring the Ottawa Senators to a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. It was a composed, confident performance that gave the Senators exactly what they needed: a calming presence between the pipes and a jolt of momentum in a tightly contested matchup.
But Ullmark wasn’t the only Senator making noise. Let’s break down the standout performances from Ottawa’s forward group in a win that had a bit of everything-skill, grit, and a whole lot of timely execution.
Tim Stützle: A
When Stützle is skating like this, he’s nearly impossible to contain. He was slicing through the neutral zone with purpose, creating rush chances seemingly out of nowhere.
Twice, he read the Devils’ breakout like a book, jumping into passing lanes and flipping the ice in an instant. His goal to make it 3-1 might’ve had a dash of good fortune, but it was set up by his elite edge work and slick hands.
Yes, he had a couple of turnovers-one of them particularly dicey while shorthanded-but overall, this was a strong two-way effort. He led the team with five shots and looked like the offensive engine Ottawa needs him to be.
Brady Tkachuk: A
This was classic Tkachuk with a touch of finesse. The captain opened the scoring with a crafty five-hole wrister that caught Jake Allen leaning, and he played a pivotal role in the 2-1 goal with another well-placed shot from the right circle.
Tkachuk’s puck-on-net mentality can sometimes feel a bit scattershot, but on this night, his shot selection was dialed in. He consistently found soft spots in the offensive zone and was available for one-timer looks throughout the game.
It was a captain’s performance-physical, opportunistic, and impactful.
Fabian Zetterlund: B+
Zetterlund didn’t get a ton of ice time-just over seven minutes-but he made the most of it. His motor was running all night, chasing pucks on the forecheck, hustling back on defense, and creating pressure in transition.
He had a notable scoring chance on a rush, going skate-to-stick on a crisp centering feed from Claude Giroux. Zetterlund finished with three shots and brought the kind of energy that coaches love from their depth forwards.
Dylan Cozens: A
Cozens was a menace in the slot all game long. He found seams, fired off quick-release wristers, and showed great vision with the puck on his stick.
His 100th career goal was a gritty one-battling in front, tracking a rebound off Tkachuk’s shot, and batting it out of midair to give Ottawa a 2-1 lead. It was a goal that summed up his night: tenacious, opportunistic, and right in the thick of the action.
He did take an elbowing penalty in the second period, but he also absorbed some questionable contact in the third that could’ve easily earned the Senators a power play. Overall, a strong, assertive game from the centerman.
With Ullmark steady in net and the forward group firing on all cylinders, the Senators put together one of their more complete performances of the season. If they can string together more efforts like this-where skill meets structure-they’ll be a tough out for anyone.