Three-Goal Third Period Propels Sens Past Maple Leafs

Tim Stutzle had four points (1 G, 3 A), Claude Giroux (2 G, 1 A) and Mathieu Joseph (3 A) each had three points, and Dominik Kubalik had a pair of goals, as the Sens won for just the second time in seven games. Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves on 30 shots in the win. It was a close game for most of it, but then in a span of 3:11 in the third period, a 3-3 games became a 6-3 game, and the Sens cruised to a comfortable victory.

The first 50 minutes of the game really felt like it was about goals and response goals. The first period scoring was opened by William Nylander, approximately 0.048 seconds into a powerplay, but then Dominik Kubalik scored about 90 seconds later on one I think Joseph Woll would want back.

That did it for the first, except I should highlight this absolutely stellar save by Korpisalo on only the NHL's hottest goal scorer.

The second period opened with G-Money scoring from a very sharp angle.

That lead stood for the Sens for 3 minutes, until Tyler Bertuzzi put home a rebound in front right off a faceoff, which again felt like it was a goal less than 1 second after the faceoff. The next goal was Jakob Chychrun getting setup for the one-knee one-timer right in front, and he gave the Sens a lead they'd carry into the third.

It was 7:42 into the third when Toronto tied it up again, but because there was a 7-minute span without a whistle, it felt like it came quick. Jake Sanderson failed to catch the puck, and on a 2-on-1 Nick Robertson batted a saucer out of the air past a helpless Korpisalo. It felt like that was going to be the game, setting up a late nail-biter, but then... first, some puck luck helped out the Sens on a powerplay, when Mark Giordano kicked a centring pass into his own net.

Then right after, the Giroux-Stutzle-Joseph line scored the prettiest Sens goal in a long while.

And then Joseph Woll made a definite mistake, not realizing Timmy was hovering around to pick his pocket and set up Giroux for an easy one.

Suddenly it was 6-3 with five minutes to play, and the Sens put a neat little bow on it, not allowing much of anything in terms of chances, and even turning down Ryan Reaves' attempts to punch anyone that moved at the end of the game. Four days after getting booed on home ice, the Sens caused their provincial rivals to get booed on their home ice.

Thoughts:

• At some point in the third, Stutzle looked like he was trying to will Ottawa to win, and after that he had a goal and an assist. That's the Timmy we know and love, who now is up to 15 points in 11 games in a season many have called disappointing.
• Giroux also looked good, scoring two goals, generating chances, and also going 60% on faceoffs, which are often unhelpful but his win led directly to Kubalik's second of the night.
• Seeing Joseph Woll allow a couple softies and make a gaffe felt weird as a Sens fan. I feel like our goalies are supposed to let in the bad goals.
• Mathieu Joseph also deserves a callout, seeing as he had 3 assists with Giroux and Stutzle, and his speed was giving the Leafs fits.
• DJ seemed to shuffle around the D a little more tonight, but Matinpalo still only got 6 minutes. Kleven got 14, but a lot of Kleven's ice time looked rough to me, so... yeah, this lineup needs its regulars back.
• Hopefully this is confidence-boosting and something to build off. Especially since I'm gonna be at Saturday's game against the lowly Flames and I'd like to see a win.

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