Tkachuk scores overtime winner to give Senators a 3-2 win over Flames

By Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press on December 19, 2024.

Ottawa Senators' Jacob Bernard-Docker, left front, and Calgary Flames' Blake Coleman, centre, watch the play with goalie Linus Ullmark during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY – Brady Tkachuk scored the overtime winner on Thursday night as the Ottawa Senators extended their win streak to five games with a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.

Nick Cousins and Ridly Greig, with his first goal in 20 games, also scored for Ottawa (17-13-2). The Senators are two games into a stretch of nine consecutive road games.

A four-game trip prior to the holiday break will be followed by a five-game trip afterwards.

Blake Coleman and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for Calgary (15-11-7).

Linus Ullmark made 29 saves to extend his personal winning streak to seven games. He improved to 12-7-2 on the season.

Dan Vladar, who had 26 stops, fell to 6-6-5.

The winning goal came 55 seconds into overtime.

After Calgary failed to convert a two-on-one at one end, Ullmark fired the loose puck up to Tim Stutzle to start a two-on-one break. Vladar stopped the initial shot, but Tkachuk knocked in the rebound.

TAKEAWAYS

Senators: Tkachuk went straight to the locker room for repairs midway through the second period after Flames captain Mikael Backlund caught him in the face with an accidental high-stick.

Tkachuk leads the team with eight power-play goals. Ottawa’s seventh-ranked power-play unit was unable to take advantage of the double-minor and break the 1-1 tie.

Flames: It was a solid bounceback performance from Vladar after he surrendered eight goals on 26 shots in Calgary’s 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning a week ago. He denied Tkachuk on a breakaway early in the second period, kicking out his right pad to rob the Senators’ leading scorer.

KEY MOMENT

After Greig’s short-handed breakaway goal at 6:24 of the third gave Ottawa its first lead, Huberdeau tied the game 52 seconds later on the same power play. The play was reviewed to see if the puck was kicked in at the side of the net, but the goal stood after it was determined the puck deflected off his skate and there was no kicking motion.

KEY STAT

The Flames’ power play was 1 for 2 on the night and is 12 for 36 (33.3 per cent) over the last 15 games.

UP NEXT

Senators: Visit the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Flames: Play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2024.