The Ottawa Senators pulled off what can only be described as a dramatic theft in Philadelphia on Saturday night, escaping with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Flyers that snapped their two-game winless streak.
Stützle Delivers in Clutch Moment
Forced to work overtime for the fourth consecutive game, the Senators found their hero in Tim Stützle, who scored his second goal of the game at 3:19 of the extra period to secure the crucial two points. The game-winning play developed when Drake Batherson delivered a perfect pass to Stützle, who made no mistake in finishing the opportunity.
"It was an unbelievable pass," Stützle said post-game. "When Batherson has the puck, I just have to drive the net and he gets it to me."
Ullmark Stands Tall Despite Limited Support
While the offense struggled to generate chances, Linus Ullmark provided stellar goaltending that kept Ottawa in the contest. The Senators netminder made 20 stops throughout the game, including several key saves during Philadelphia's third-period push.
The Senators managed only 13 shots on Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson, with just one coming in the third period and the overtime winner representing their only shot in the extra frame. This marked an astonishing stretch where Ottawa went 25 minutes and 43 seconds without registering a shot on net, from 12:09 of the second period until 18:34 of the third.
"We played a little bit too defensively in the third, we didn't really want the puck, it felt like," Stützle admitted. "They had a good push, but Linus kept us in it. He was unreal the whole night, really patient and fun to watch. It's a big two points."
Line Changes and Defensive Battle
Head coach Travis Green made significant adjustments to his forward lines ahead of the contest. Ridly Greig moved up to skate with Stützle and David Perron, while Fabian Zetterlund joined Dylan Cozens and Batherson after previously occupying a fourth-line role.
The game evolved into a tight-checking affair with limited scoring opportunities for both sides. "It was a tight-checking game," Green noted. "Both teams defended hard. I really liked our first period. I thought we came out fast, and they found a way to push back like a good team will do in their own building."
Beyond Stützle's two-goal performance, Michael Amadio contributed his fifth goal of the season to Ottawa's offensive output. The Flyers' comeback attempt was spearheaded by Matvei Michkov, who cut the deficit to 2-1 at 11:23 of the second period by battling past defenceman Jake Sanderson and beating Ullmark on the glove side.
Philadelphia completed the comeback with 10:05 remaining in the third period, capitalizing on Ottawa's continued power play struggles. The Senators have now failed to score on their last 15 man-advantage opportunities.
Despite the challenges and near-collapse, Green emphasized the importance of the result: "We found a way to get two points. It wasn't one of those games where there was a lot of offense either way, but it was nice to get the win."
