Senators blow big lead, recover to beat Flames in shootout
Third-period leads haven't been safe this season against the Calgary Flames. The Ottawa Senators nearly learned that the hard way.
Erik Karlsson scored the winner in the sixth round of the shootout as the Senators defeated the Flames 5-4 after blowing a big lead in regulation Sunday night.
Alex Chiasson, Milan Michalek, Mark Borowiecki and Mike Hoffman scored for the Senators, who led 4-0 in the third period before giving up four straight goals to allow the Flames to tie it. Craig Anderson made 42 saves in his first start since Jan. 21.
The Flames have scored 93 goals after the second intermission this season, most in the NHL.
''We knew they were going to come (in the third) and they're a team that doesn't quit,'' Senators forward Mika Zibanejad said. ''And we saw that tonight.''
Kris Russell scored twice for the Flames, while Joe Colborne and Mikael Backlund had one each.
''We just really got away from our game,'' Borowiecki said. ''We got a little too cute and I think maybe we thought it was point night going into that period: rack `em up and pad the stats.
''It was unacceptable for us, but two points is two points.''
With the Senators comfortably in front with a four-goal lead, Colborne scored at 6:56 of the third to end Anderson's shutout bid.
Russell scored a power-play goal at 11:28, and Backlund ended a wild scramble by beating Anderson 59 seconds later and trimming the Senators' lead to 4-3.
Russell tied it with 2:15 left in the third period to tie it and force the extra sessions.
''We were all really excited when we scored the fourth one,'' Backlund said. ''We always want the two points and we're disappointed, but at the same time we made a huge comeback and we'll bring that with us.''
The win was the third straight for the Senators, who have won eight of their past nine and have at least a point in all of those games.
The game was the last in a seven-game road trip for the Flames, who were displaced as the Brier curling event took over their home rink in Calgary. They finished the trip with a 4-3 record.
''It would have been nice to get that last (win),'' Russell said. ''But at the same time, if you told us we were going to get one point going into the third period, we probably would have took it.''
Chiasson opened the scoring at 12:14 of the first period after taking a blind pass from David Legwand right at the side of Calgary's goal.
Michalek gave the Senators a 2-0 lead with 7 seconds to play in the first with a wrist shot that beat Karri Ramo.
In the second period, after a scramble in front of Ramo, the puck made its way back to the point where Borowiecki fired in his first goal of the season at 2:34.
Hoffman then made it 4-0 at 7:10 and, in the process, chased Ramo from the net after he allowed four goals on 23 shots. Jonas Hiller came in for Ramo and finished with 19 saves.
NOTES: Jared Cowen and Colin Greening were scratches for the Senators. ... Scratches for the Flames were Corey Potter, Emile Poirier and Michael Ferland. ... Legwand's first-period assist gave him 600 career NHL points. ... Senators F Mike Zibanejad extended his career-high points streak to seven games.
