Shane Pinto netted two goals as the Senators triumphed over the Canadiens with a score of 5-2 on Friday night.
- Jaylen Jackson
- Apr 12
- 3 min read
On Friday night, the Ottawa Senators adopted a defensive strategy to thwart the Montreal Canadiens' attempts to extend their six-game winning streak, secure a playoff berth, and achieve a clean sweep in their season series. With a significant presence of Canadiens supporters in the arena, the outcome was particularly gratifying for Ottawa fans. The Senators triumphed over the Canadiens with a score of 5–2 at the Canadian Tire Centre. Shane Pinto was instrumental in the victory, scoring the opening goal and adding another to conclude the game. "I thought we applied pressure quickly," Pinto remarked to the press. "We got behind their defense and forechecked effectively. That has been our approach all season, and we capitalized with two quick goals, which set the tone for a strong performance." The Senators outshot the Canadiens 33–22 throughout the match. Additional goals were scored by Ridly Greig, Dylan Cozens, and Drake Batherson, while Michael Amadio contributed with two assists. The Senators made their mark early, scoring just 28 seconds into the game when Pinto positioned himself in front of the Montreal net and converted a well-placed pass from Greig. Both Greig and Amadio executed excellent forechecking to create that opportunity, and their line was exceptional throughout the evening. Less than four minutes later, Cozens netted his first goal in ten games by driving to the net and capitalizing on a rebound from a shot by Nikolas Matinpalo. At that point, Brendan Gallagher attempted to settle past grievances with Tim Stützle, whom he had previously accused of diving. The 5-foot-9 Gallagher tried to provoke Stützle into a fight, but the young German refused to engage. As a result of Gallagher's actions, he only succeeded in forcing his teammates to kill off a penalty.
The Senators scored again in the second period, with Greig positioned in front of the Montreal goal. He received a pass from Amadio and successfully converted it, extending Ottawa's lead to 3–0. However, maintaining a three-goal advantage proved challenging for the Senators that evening. Just over a minute later, Christian Dvorak managed to score for the Canadiens. Tyler Kleven became overly aggressive, pinching in the neutral zone while his defensive partner, Matinpalo, was changing. Dvorak seized the opportunity, received a breakaway pass, and outmaneuvered Linus Ullmark.
Batherson briefly restored the lead by redirecting a shot from Thomas Chabot, but this advantage was short-lived. Nick Suzuki capitalized on a loose puck in the slot after Matinpalo mishandled it. With 12 points in his last six games, Suzuki was the last player the Senators wanted to give an opportunity to, and he took full advantage, scoring to narrow the gap to 4–2. Although Ottawa struggled to maintain offensive pressure in the third period, they effectively limited the Canadiens' chances around Ullmark, who faced only four shots in the final frame.
With the goalie pulled, Lane Hutson made a wayward pass in front of Ottawa's net, which landed directly on Nick Jensen's stick. Jensen then executed a long lead pass off the boards that Pinto chased down and deposited into an empty net, sealing the game. This ensured that Montreal would not secure a playoff spot that night, nor would they achieve a season sweep over the Senators. The victory nearly guarantees the Senators the first wild-card position, as they now hold a five-point lead over the Canadiens with only three games remaining. Ottawa's next matchup is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM, where they will face the Philadelphia Flyers at the Canadian Tire Centre.
