The Senators did a lot right in Vegas on Tuesday night. They just didn’t finish enough of those chances, and that left them with nothing to show for a game that was there for the taking.
Raphael Lavoie changed the night with his first career NHL goal midway through the third period, snapping a 1-1 tie and sending the Knights to a 4-1 win over Ottawa. Shane Pinto scored the Senators’ only goal, but the result came with another blow to a team already dealing with too many injuries.
Warren Foegele was hurt on a knee-on-knee hit from Jeremy Lauzon and had to leave with assistance, unable to put weight on his right leg.
Ottawa came out flying and looked like the sharper team in a scoreless first period, piling up an 11-4 edge in shots. The problem was the same one that kept showing up all night: the Senators couldn’t cash in on the kind of looks they usually expect to bury.
Fabian Zetterlund and Dylan Cozens both had premium chances, but neither could get his stick blade on the puck to finish into an open net. It was the kind of miss that stings because the opportunity was right there.
The game never turned into a pure goaltending duel, either. Both ends were busy, with dangerous looks coming in waves.
Tim Stutzle had one of Ottawa’s best chances in the second period, but Adin Hill shut him down with a glove save on a one-timer, a stop that echoed the one Yaroslav Askarov made on Drake Batherson against San Jose last week.
Vegas answered in the second with more pressure of its own, outshooting the Senators 15-7 and eventually breaking through late in the period after a chaotic sequence on a Knights power play. As Greig went off for a change, Vegas briefly had a two-man advantage. Moments later, after a shot slid through Jonas Johansson, Braeden Bowman jammed in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Ottawa finally got the equalizer early in the third on the power play, and Pinto did the heavy lifting. He made a strong defensive play, took off up ice, beat Mitch Marner to the spot, finished a feed from Drake Batherson and beat Hill to tie it 1-1.
That should have been the springboard. Instead, Vegas hit right back.
Lavoie jumped on a rebound midway through the third and buried it for his first NHL goal, putting the Knights ahead for good. For him, it was a milestone. For the Senators, it was another reminder of how many chances they had already let slip away.
Ottawa kept pressing, but the comeback never came together. Vegas sealed it with a pair of empty-net goals, with William Karlsson scoring first and Jack Eichel adding another just minutes into his 30th birthday.
The Senators leave Vegas empty-handed, which is a rough way to open a long road trip when they did so many things well. They’ll try again Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
In Other News...
Senators Arena Dream Still Alive As Andlauer Frames Bigger Vision
The Senators long-discussed LeBreton Flats arena remains very much on the table, and owner Michael Andlauer is framing it as something far bigger than a new home for hockey. He described the project as a legacy piece for Ottawa, with the kind of city-shaping potential that could reach well beyond game nights and into the broader development of Ottawa and Gatineau.
There are still plenty of moving parts before anything gets built, though, including talks with the National Capital Commission, coordination with city officials and the practical headache of contaminated soil on the site. Andlauer said the organization is intent on getting the process right rather than rushing it, leaving open the possibility that the timeline could stretch if that is what it takes to make the project work. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Open Tough Trip With One Big Issue Hanging Over Vegas
The Senators are kicking off a tough road trip in Vegas, and the opener comes with both teams carrying some familiar early-season uncertainty. The Golden Knights are trying to stop a three-game skid while juggling lineup changes, including the season debuts of Jonas Rndbjerg and Ville Heinola, plus the return of Mitch Marner. Ottawa, meanwhile, is still sorting through its own goaltending and special teams issues as the trip begins.
One of the biggest pieces of context for the Senators is the status of captain Thomas Chabot. He skated in a regular full-contact jersey yesterday and appears to be nearing a return, which is encouraging for a club that could use his minutes and presence on the back end. For now, though, Ottawa has to navigate the start of this trip without him, and against a Vegas team that is looking to steady itself quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Brady Tkachuk Gave Senators Fans One More Reason To Enjoy That Return
Brady Tkachuks return to Ottawa already had the built-in drama you would expect from one of the NHLs most recognizable agitators, and the Senators got an extra little spark out of it. After Tkachuk opened the scoring against his former team, Senators owner Michael Andlauer said the winger skated past the bench and delivered a taunt that did not exactly go unnoticed in the room or in the building.
The reaction from Ottawa was emphatic, with the Senators piling up five straight goals after the early setback and turning the game on its head. Andlauer suggested the comment may have helped fuel the response, which only added another layer to a night that already had a revenge-game feel for fans who still know exactly what Tkachuk brings whenever he steps on the ice. [Read more 🡒]