By Canadian Press

Senators score three times in the third to down Maple Leafs

Nov 8, 2023 | 7:55 PM

TORONTO — Claude Giroux had two goals and an assist as the Ottawa Senators scored three times in the third period to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Wednesday and pick up just their second victory in three weeks.

Dominik Kubalik also scored twice for Ottawa (5-6-0), while Tim Stutzle had a goal and three assists. Jakob Chychrun scored and set up another for the Senators, who entered having lost two in a row and five of their last six in regulation. 

Mathieu Joseph added three assists. Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves.

William Nylander, with a goal and an assist, Tyler Bertuzzi and Nick Robertson replied for Toronto (6-5-2). John Tavares added two assists. Joseph Woll stopped 21 shots.

Nylander’s franchise-record point streak to open a season now stands at 13 games.

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Kubalik snapped a 3-3 tie on a power play at 11:56 of the third period when his pass in front went in off the skate of Leafs defenceman Mark Giordano.

Ottawa made it 5-3 just 45 seconds later when Stutzle finished off a pretty passing play with his third.

Woll then turned the puck over behind his net to Stutzle, who found Giroux in front for his fifth at 15:07 as Ottawa scored three times in 3:11.

Tied 1-1 after the opening period, Ottawa grabbed its first lead 1:04 into the second when Giroux scored his fourth goal of the campaign.

Toronto replied at 4:16 when Bertuzzi scored his third — and first at even strength — after Nylander’s initial shot was blocked.

Chychrun put the visitors back in front at 14:06 with his fifth on a shot from the slot that beat Woll through the five-hole after Joseph hit the crossbar and the Toronto goaltender stopped Roby Jarventie in alone.

Toronto tied it up again at 7:42 of the third when Robertson took a pass from Max Domi on a 2-on-1 and chipped his first upstairs on Korpisalo.

The Leafs snapped a four-game slide (0-2-2) with Monday’s wild 6-5 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and opened the scoring at 5:47 of the first — just four seconds into a power play — when Nylander wired his seventh.

Kubalik responded with his third 1:24 later on a long shot that fooled Woll, who came on in relief against Tampa after Ilya Samsonov was pulled with Toronto trailing 4-1, through the pads.

Korpisalo made a terrific glove stop on Auston Matthews — the NHL goal leader entering play with 13 in 12 games — with less than a minute left in the period to keep the teams level through 20 minutes.

The positive vibes around the Senators after new owner Michael Andlauer finally took control in September feel like a distant memory.

The team entered play last in the Eastern Conference, while ugly headlines away from the rink have included unsigned winger Shane Pinto’s 41-game suspension for violating the NHL’s gambling policy and the loss of a first-round draft pick for a botched 2021 trade that cost general manager Pierre Dorion his job.

Fans at Canadian Tire Centre booed the team and chanted for head coach D.J. Smith to be fired during Saturday’s 6-4 loss to Tampa, which prompted some pointed post-game comments from captain Brady Tkachuk.

ZUB, MCCABE STILL OUT

Senators defenceman Artem Zub (upper-body injury) sat for a seventh consecutive game, while Leafs counterpart Jake McCabe (groin) missed his sixth straight contest.

Ottawa was also without blueliners Thomas Chabot (broken hand) and Erik Brannstrom (concussion).

SWEDISH SOJOURN

The Leafs and Senators each have two more games this week before heading to Sweden along with the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild for the NHL’s Global Series.

There won’t be a European edition of the Battle of Ontario, but Ottawa and Toronto will suit up for a pair of contests in Stockholm.

Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg said getting away from the nation’s capital after a trying few weeks will be good for his group.

“Maybe relax a little bit, get your mind off hockey,” the Swede said of exposing teammates to some of the country’s culture. “And then hopefully having that relaxation when we’re playing the games.” 

ALL-STAR PLANS

With the NHL all-star game set for Scotiabank Arena in just under three months, the league announced its fan fair will run Feb. 1-4 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. 

SAMSONOV’S STRUGGLES

Pulled in two of his last four starts, Samsonov was on the ice prior to the morning skate for a session with goaltending coach Curtis Sanford.

“Putting in the work,” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe explained. “The only way to get through it is to continue to work.” 

Samsonov is 2-1-2 this season with an ugly .855 save percentage and a 4.11 goals-against average in seven appearances.

UP NEXT

The Senators host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, while Leafs are home to the Calgary Flames on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first reported Nov. 8, 2023.

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press