Senators Spoil Canadiens’ Comeback Bid with Tkachuk’s Late Strike in 5-2 Win
Any momentum the Canadiens hoped to build in the third period vanished the moment Brady Tkachuk found the back of the net. The Senators captain, finally breaking through in what’s been a frustrating, injury-hampered start to his season, buried a feed from Tim Stützle midway through the final frame to seal a 5-2 win for Ottawa at the Bell Centre.
Let’s break this one down.
A Game That Slipped Away
Montreal came out of the gates with energy - Juraj Slafkovsky opened the scoring early, giving the home crowd something to cheer about. But that joy was short-lived.
Just 24 seconds later, Fabian Zetterlund answered for Ottawa with a shot Sam Montembeault would want back. And that sequence set the tone for the rest of the night.
Montembeault had his moments, but he never looked fully settled. Whether it was tracking the puck through traffic or controlling rebounds, the Canadiens netminder looked uncomfortable - and against a team like Ottawa, that’s a dangerous place to be. He finished with 24 saves on 29 shots, and while not every goal was on him, the Habs needed more from their starter.
The Senators sensed that vulnerability and capitalized.
Second-Period Collapse
The turning point came in the second period, when Montreal’s defensive structure completely unraveled. Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson and Drake Batherson scored just 70 seconds apart - both goals coming with far too much time and space for skilled forwards operating below the dots.
The Canadiens did show some life when Nick Suzuki cashed in on the power play, finishing from the side of the net to cut the deficit. It was Montreal’s second goal with the man advantage on the night - a positive sign for a unit that’s been up and down this season. But that was as close as they’d get.
Tkachuk’s Statement Goal
With the Canadiens pushing for an equalizer in the third, emotions started to boil over. Brendan Gallagher got tangled up behind the net with Ottawa defenseman Nick Jensen - the crowd wanted a penalty, but none came. Seconds later, Gallagher took matters into his own hands, committing a retaliatory infraction that drew a delayed penalty.
That’s when the dagger came.
With Montreal scrambling, Stützle found Tkachuk in the slot, and the captain ripped one past Montembeault. It was his first goal of the season - a long time coming - and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Ottawa.
Before that, Artem Zub had added to the Senators’ lead in the first, finishing off a slick behind-the-back pass from Tkachuk with all the time in the world in front of the net. Again, defensive coverage was lacking - another example of the Canadiens giving up prime real estate in the slot.
What It Means
For the Senators, this was a statement win to close out a grueling seven-game road trip. They finish it with a 4-3 record and head home at 13-9-4, with a big test coming Thursday against the New York Rangers.
Montreal, now 13-9-3, will try to regroup quickly. They host the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday - a team dealing with its own internal struggles after a closed-door players’ meeting. The Habs will also take the opportunity to honor former defenseman Andrei Markov before the game, a reminder of the franchise’s storied blue-line history - something this current group could use as inspiration.
The Takeaway
This was a night where the Canadiens flashed potential - especially on the power play - but couldn’t sustain it. Defensive lapses, inconsistent goaltending, and untimely penalties told the story. Meanwhile, the Senators looked like a team finding its rhythm, getting key contributions from their stars when it mattered most.
Tkachuk’s goal wasn’t just the final nail - it was a message. He’s back, and so are the Senators, who are starting to string together the kind of performances that could make them a real threat in the Atlantic.