Senators score three goals in third period of 6-4 win over Blackhawks

By Canadian Press on December 20, 2025.

OTTAWA — Three third-period goals, including a pair from David Perron, powered the Ottawa Senators to a 6-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon.

Despite a solid effort, Chicago (13-16-6) lost its fifth straight game.

Perron scored his first goal on the power play and the second off a great pass from Tim Stutzle.

Chicago rallied as Nick Lardis – with his first NHL goal – beat Leevi Merilainen, who made 20 saves. Fabian Zetterlund added a late goal to ice the win for Ottawa.

After Tyler Kleven opened the scoring for the Senators, the teams combined for five goals in the second period.

Chicago tied the game early in the stanza when Wyatt Kaiser sent a stretch pass to Ilya Mikheyev, who beat Nick Jensen wide and wristed a shot past Merilainen.

Ottawa (17-13-4) took a 2-1 lead on a Dylan Cozens goal, but goaltender interference was called. The Senators challenged and referee Beau Halkidis initially ruled there was no goaltender interference only to correct himself a few seconds later.

Ottawa found itself short-handed after the challenge, but Stutzle took advantage of a Teuvo Teravainen turnover at centre and beat Arvid Soderblom – who stopped 34 shots – on a breakaway.

Chicago made it 2-2 on the power play when Andre Burakovsky’s shot redirected off Artem Zub.

Brady Tkachuk put Ottawa back in front after taking a Thomas Chabot pass in the high slot and snapping home his fifth of the season. A bad line change allowed the Blackhawks to pull even with 1:27 left in the period as Mikheyev scored his second of the game.

Chicago’s Frank Nazar took a puck to the face early in the period and did not return. Kleven left midway through the second period with a lower-body injury.

Takeaways

Senators: Secondary scoring proved crucial for the Senators.

Blackhawks: Chicago showed resilience by fighting back every time the Senators pulled ahead.

Key stat

Stutzle is riding a six-game point streak.

Key moment

Leading 5-4 late in the third, Merilainen made a key save on Ryan Greene.

Up next

Senators: The Senators take on the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Blackhawks: Chicago hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2025.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press