Tim Stützle’s late finish gave Ottawa the kind of ending that usually starts with chaos and ends with relief.
The Senators edged the Sabres after Stützle delivered the game-winner with an unreal effort late, but the win was built on a night full of dangerous looks and timely plays from several Ottawa forwards. Michael Amadio was right in the middle of it, and Phil Tomasino kept finding the right spots at the right time.
Tomasino wasted no time making an impact. Twelve seconds into the game, he took a Drake Batherson feed in the slot and ripped it off Ellis’ mask.
Later in the period, he picked Dahlin’s pocket at the point and turned it into a 2-on-2 rush with Pinto. He also slipped coverage off an offensive-zone faceoff, got open for a centring pass from Chabot and quickly put the puck on net to create the rebound that Pinto buried to tie the game.
Since being recalled from Belleville, Tomasino has three points in three games.
Batherson was every bit as dangerous as the score sheet suggested, and maybe more. On the opening shift, he circled the net and set up Tomasino for a point-blank chance. On the power play he helped create by drawing a hold, Batherson fed Dylan Cozens for a threatening one-timer, hit a post and then found Claude Giroux in front for what looked like a sure goal.
Amadio’s night came down to two chances from the same area, one denied and one decisive. On Ottawa’s first shift, he worked a give-and-go with Giroux and couldn’t lift the puck from the bottom of the left circle, where Ellis made a remarkable toe save.
Then, with 3:09 left in regulation, Amadio one-timed a Stützle pass on a rush and tucked it just under the bar to make it 2-1. He later helped protect that lead by stealing the puck just inside the Senators’ blue line with 2:30 remaining, and Ottawa spent the next 30 seconds in the offensive zone.
In Other News...
Matthew Tkachuk Just Stirred Up Bradys Ottawa Return Again
Brady Tkachuks first game back in Ottawa as a visitor already had the kind of edge youd expect from a family reunion in a division rivalry, and the atmosphere at Canadian Tire Centre only added to it. The Senators said the October crowd was a sellout, with 17,010 on hand, while Brady went out and scored the opening goal before the noise and the reaction around him became part of the nights storyline.
Now Matthew Tkachuk has reopened the discussion from afar, disputing Ottawas sellout claim and saying the building was loud but not full. Brady, meanwhile, has already made clear he was locked in on the game itself and not the chants or boos around him, which leaves the sibling subplot in a familiar place for Senators fans: still simmering, still memorable, and still not quite done. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Finally Have Some Hope As Key Reinforcements Near
Ridly Greigs absence was one of the more notable lineup wrinkles for Ottawa in Buffalo, where the Senators had to shuffle their fourth line after the forward was ruled out because of an undisclosed injury. Hayden Hodgson stepped in for Greig, adding a little extra size and energy to a bottom-six group that has already had to adjust around injuries and lineup turnover this season.
For a Senators team trying to keep its game organized through the grind of the schedule, any missing regular is a reminder of how quickly depth gets tested. Greigs status will be worth watching as Ottawa moves forward, especially with the club already navigating the kind of day-to-day uncertainty that can force coaches to rethink their combinations on short notice. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Are Getting A Young Spark At The Perfect Time
Ottawas latest win fit neatly into a busy night around the NHL, with the Senators joining a short four-game slate that also featured a lopsided Kings result, a Florida victory and an overtime finish in Seattle. The Senators had to work for theirs, but they found a way to leave Buffalo with two points after a tight game that stayed within reach from start to finish.
The turnaround came in the third period, when Ottawa erased the gap and got the kind of late push that can change the tone of a road trip. Michael Amadio delivered the decisive goal, giving the Senators a timely lift at a point in the season when every response matters, especially in games that look like they might slip away. [Read more 🡒]