In a thrilling contest in Ottawa, Drake Batherson broke a lengthy scoring slump by netting two goals and contributing an assist to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. This victory marks the Senators’ fifth consecutive triumph, enhancing their standing as leaders in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Alongside Batherson’s standout performance, Shane Pinto, Tyler Kleven, Ridly Greig, and Claude Giroux also found the net for Ottawa. Their collective efforts were supported by goaltender Linus Ullmark, who successfully blocked 22 of Boston’s shots.
Boston’s David Pastrnak managed to score his 34th goal, showing his consistency as a top scorer. Teammates Casey Mittelstadt and Marat Khusnutdinov added goals for the Bruins in an effort to close the gap.
The game saw a rough start for Boston’s Jeremy Swayman, who let in four goals from 15 shots during the initial period. His performance led to Joonas Korpisalo stepping in for the remaining two periods, where he successfully saved 14 shots. This decision couldn’t entirely change the game’s momentum towards Boston’s favor, but it did help manage further damage.
A pivotal moment unfolded when Brady Tkachuk assisted Batherson’s first goal, extending his personal points streak to eight games, highlighting his significant contribution to the team’s current success streak.
The game also marked a milestone for Ottawa’s head coach Travis Green, as it was his 400th game coaching in the NHL—a testament to his extensive career in the league.
Looking ahead, both teams are back on the ice Saturday night, with the Bruins set to host the formidable Tampa Bay, while the Senators head to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs. The upcoming matches will serve as critical opportunities for both teams to strengthen their standings as the season progresses.
