Ottawa Senators Score Twice With The Goalie Pulled, Beating Boston 6-5 In A Shootout

It was the loosest defensive game the Ottawa Senators have played in weeks, but there was no denying the entertainment on Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.

Down 5-3 to the rival Boston Bruins with the goalie pulled, the Senators scored twice in the final four minutes to tie the game, then won it 6-5 in the shootout. The victory, for the time being, moves Ottawa into the first Wild Card position (WC1) in the Eastern Conference, now tied in points with Columbus and Boston.

With 3:13 to play, Nick Jensen’s snap shot from the top of the circle drew the Sens to within one. Then, just when it looked like the Sens were out of gas and out of time, Claude Giroux fed Josh Norris in the high slot and Norris ripped a one-timer through the pads of Jeremy Swayman to tie it.

Norris will get all the love, and rightly so, but watch how Giroux tricks Boston’s Charlie Coyle into thinking he’s passing to Thomas Chabot at the point. The second Coyle moves his stick to take that lane away, Giroux hits Norris on the tape.

Tim Stutzle scored the only goal of the shootout, suddenly sprinting wide past Swayman who missed on his poke check attempt and was down and out. That left Stutzle with a nearly empty net to shoot at.

Stutzle also scored in regulation, as did Jake Sanderson and Adam Gaudette. Norris had two goals for the Sens who blew an early 2-0 lead.

Ottawa rookie Leevi Merilainen wasn’t the brick wall he’s been in the past four games, but some of his 23 saves were absolutely outstanding. He stopped all three shots in the shootout including a cute attempt from David Pastrnak that the kid almost seemed insulted by. After the attempt, Merilainen immediately shot Pastrnak a look as he was skating away.

Merilainen says he’s never been through a game with a finish like that.

“Probably the greatest comeback I’ve ever been a part of for sure,” Merilainen told the media after the game.

As a franchise, the Sens haven’t been through many like it either. It’s just the third time in history they’ve overcome a two-goal deficit in the final five minutes of regulation.

As entertainment goes this season, today’s game rivals Ottawa’s 8-7 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thanksgiving. Today’s game was feisty, chippy, and emotional with a serious playoff atmosphere. And why wouldn’t it be? Both teams are battling each other for their playoff lives.

Ottawa’s late comeback represents a three point swing from where things seemed to be headed on Saturday, with the Bruins leading 5-3 and under four minutes to go.

The Senators (23-18-4, 50 points) are now tied with the Bruins (22-19-6, 50 points) but the Sens have two games in hand. The Sens are also tied with the Blue Jackets (23-17-4, 50 points) for the first Wild Card spot in the East but the Sens get the edge based on regulation wins. Columbus is in action later on Saturday.

In most NHL markets, it’s probably too early to be fussing over the standings, but not in Ottawa. For the past seven seasons, the Sens playoff chances have usually been put down by now like Old Yeller.

The Sens will be in New Jersey on Sunday at 1 pm. The Devils lost to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday 3-1. The question now is, will Travis Green send Merilainen out to play both halves of a back-to-back again or not?

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