For the second straight game, the Ottawa Senators built a two-goal lead-only to watch it slip away in overtime. This time, it was former Senator Alex DeBrincat who delivered the dagger, scoring just 36 seconds into the extra frame to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-3 win on home ice.
And just like in Saturday’s loss to Montreal, it was a case of déjà vu for Ottawa. The Senators had a golden opportunity at one end in overtime but couldn’t cash in.
Seconds later, they were chasing back on an odd-man rush. DeBrincat, leading the charge, picked his spot and wired a shot high glove-side past James Reimer.
For Reimer, it was a strong showing in his first NHL start in nine months, but it ended in heartbreak.
The shot totals told part of the story-Detroit outshot Ottawa 34-22, and the Senators simply couldn’t generate enough sustained pressure. But early on, it looked like Ottawa might run away with this one.
The Senators came out flying, striking twice in just 39 seconds early in the first. Drake Batherson opened the scoring, finishing off a rebound after John Gibson turned aside initial chances from Thomas Chabot and Fabian Zetterlund. Batherson’s tally was his 19th of the season, and the Senators were buzzing.
But the momentum didn’t last long. Just over two minutes later, Nick Cousins was whistled for elbowing-a call that looked soft-and Detroit made them pay. Axel Sandin-Pellikka stepped into a wrister from the point that found its way through traffic and past Reimer, who never saw it.
Six minutes into the second, Lucas Raymond tied things up with his 15th of the year. It was a one-on-one matchup with Jake Sanderson, and Raymond won it clean-ripping a shot past Sanderson and beating Reimer high. Once again, Ottawa’s goaltending was exposed by a shot from distance, a trend that’s become all too familiar this season.
Later in the period, Detroit grabbed its first lead of the night. With David Perron in the box for holding, the Senators’ power play unit got caught scrambling, and James van Riemsdyk pounced on a rebound, burying it to make it 3-2. The play had shades of Tim Stützle’s slick between-the-legs goal from the previous night, but this time Ottawa was on the wrong end of the highlight.
To their credit, the Senators responded before the intermission. With Elmer Söderblom off for interference on Ridly Greig, Claude Giroux threaded a perfect pass to Shane Pinto, who redirected it into an open net. That tied things up at 3-3 heading into the third, setting the stage for a tense finish.
Ottawa’s discipline-or lack thereof-reared its head again early in the third. Brady Tkachuk was called for tripping nearly 200 feet from his own net, continuing a frustrating pattern of offensive-zone penalties. Reimer stood tall during the ensuing penalty kill, making a pair of key saves while moving laterally to keep the game tied.
Midway through the third, the Senators had a golden chance to retake the lead. Greig’s aggressive forecheck forced a turnover, and the puck landed right on Dylan Cozens’ stick in front of the net. But Gibson came up with a stellar glove save to deny him.
With nine minutes to play, Reimer made another big stop-this time robbing Söderblom, who was left alone in front to deflect a shot from the point. Reimer got his right pad out just in time to preserve the tie.
Ottawa had one final push in the final minute of regulation. The Pinto line generated a quality look, but the puck never quite settled for a clean shot.
Then came overtime. And just like the night before, the Senators couldn’t close the deal. A missed opportunity on one end quickly turned into a game-winner on the other, with DeBrincat delivering the final blow against his former club.
Despite the loss, Reimer’s performance was a silver lining. At 37, he became the third-oldest goalie to suit up in the NHL this season-behind only Jonathan Quick and former Senator Cam Talbot. After a long layoff, Reimer showed he still has something left in the tank.
Before the puck dropped, the Red Wings held a ceremony to honor Patrick Kane, who recently joined the NHL’s exclusive 500-goal club. It was a fitting tribute to one of the game’s greats-and a reminder of the kind of offensive firepower Ottawa is still trying to consistently find.
The Senators will look to regroup Tuesday night in Columbus, hoping to snap this frustrating trend of letting leads slip away.