VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Jake Sanderson made a remarkable impact by scoring just 15 seconds into overtime, leading the Ottawa Senators to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. This win marks the Senators’ sixth consecutive triumph, the first time they have achieved such a streak since March 2017.
In a standout performance, Shane Pinto scored two goals for the Senators, with Claude Giroux contributing another and Josh Norris finding the net while short-handed. Sanderson also made his mark by providing two assists in the game. Goaltender Leevi Merilainen, making his NHL debut, stopped 21 shots and secured his first win in the league.
The Canucks saw Brock Boeser score twice, while Quinn Hughes added a goal and two assists to his tally. Jake DeBrusk completed the scoring for Vancouver, which fell to defeat for the third consecutive time (0-1-2). Kevin Lankinen was in net for the Canucks, making 17 saves throughout the match.
Notable observations from the game include the Canucks’ recent struggles. They have lost four of their last five matches, and some of their key players are experiencing slumps. J.T. Miller has not scored in the six games since returning from a 10-game injury absence. Elias Pettersson is also without a point in his last six outings, and Conor Garland’s last goal was recorded on November 29.
For the Senators, Merilainen took over in goal for Linus Ullmark, who has been instrumental in Ottawa’s success in recent weeks. Ullmark had propelled the team to five straight victories before an injury to backup Anton Forsberg during a pre-game warm-up on December 14.
A pivotal moment in the match came when Boeser tied the game at four with just 4:50 remaining by firing a rebound past Merilainen.
On the statistical side, Hughes reached a remarkable 40 points this season, encompassing eight goals and 32 assists. This milestone makes him the seventh defenseman in NHL history to reach 40 points in 33 games or fewer in multiple seasons.
Looking ahead, the Senators will visit the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, while the Canucks will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday evening.