SAN JOSE, Calif. — Adam Gaudette netted two goals, including a crucial late-game score, while Linus Ullmark distinguished himself with 36 saves, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night, despite Ottawa registering only 11 shots on goal.
Gaudette found the back of the net with a tip-in from a hard pass delivered by Tim Stutzle with just 4:12 remaining, marking his fourth goal in as many games. San Jose had previously equalized in the period through goals from Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith.
Stutzle’s performance was impressive, as he recorded three assists during the match.
Ottawa opened the scoring with two goals from their first three attempts, leading 2-0 at the end of the first period. Gaudette scored at even strength, followed by a power-play goal from Josh Norris, with Stutzle assisting both.
For the Sharks, Mario Ferraro also found the net, while Tyler Kleven celebrated his first goal in the NHL with the Senators.
This win marks consecutive victories for the Senators after a five-game losing streak, while the Sharks have now lost four out of their last five games. Mikael Granlund, the Sharks’ top scorer, missed his second consecutive game due to an upper-body injury.
Takeaways from the game included Gaudette’s notable shift to the top line, where he has accumulated 11 goals on just 31 shots this season. His goals-per-60-minutes ratio at 2.61 placed him second in the league, just behind Alex Ovechkin.
Despite the Sharks outshooting the Senators 39-11, Ullmark showcased solid performance in the crease, improving his career record against San Jose to 6-0 after having lost his last four starts.
A key moment occurred when the Sharks seemed to seize momentum after tying the game, but the combination of Stutzle and Gaudette ultimately swung the lead back in favor of Ottawa with their late scoring.
As for key statistics, the 22-year-old Stutzle leads all players under 23 with an impressive 28 points amassed through 21 games this season.
Looking ahead, the Sharks are set to host the Kraken this Friday, while the Senators will face the Kings on Saturday.