OTTAWA, Ontario — Leevi Merilainen achieved his third shutout of the season by making 16 saves, leading the Ottawa Senators to a decisive 6-0 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening.
Jake Sanderson contributed significantly with one goal and three assists, while Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson each recorded one goal and two assists. Additionally, Brady Tkachuk added a goal and an assist, with Josh Norris and Michael Amadio also finding the net for the Senators. This win capped off an impressive 4-0-0 record for Ottawa during their four-game homestand.
On the other hand, Filip Gustavsson faced a barrage of shots in net for the Wild, registering 46 saves. Minnesota had been on a winning streak, having managed to win three consecutive games while conceding only three goals across those matches.
Norris opened the scoring with a short-handed backhand shot, giving Ottawa a 1-0 lead with just 1:59 left in the first period. In the second period, Stutzle and Amadio both scored within just over a minute to extend the lead to 3-0. The Senators continued their dominance into the third period with power-play goals from Sanderson, Tkachuk, and Batherson, all coming in a swift 2:14.
Ottawa performed well on the power play, successfully converting 3 out of 8 opportunities, while Minnesota struggled, going 0 for 3. Unfortunately for the Senators, they will be without Nick Cousins for an estimated six to eight weeks due to knee surgery he underwent on Friday.
In terms of key takeaways, Ottawa demonstrated efficiency by scoring a short-handed goal for the second consecutive game. Conversely, Minnesota faced challenges due to a lack of discipline, which allowed the Senators to capitalize with three power-play goals.
A pivotal moment occurred late in the second period when Wild player Ryan Hartman received a major penalty for attempting to injure Stutzle after shoving his face into the ice during a faceoff. This major penalty led to Ottawa’s three goals during the following power play in the third period.
Notably, this game marked the first time this season that Ottawa registered over 50 shots in a match, highlighting their aggressive offensive strategy.
Looking ahead, the Wild will face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday in their final game of a five-game road trip, while the Senators are set to visit the Nashville Predators on Monday.
