Tkachuk scores 1st goal of season to lead Senators past Canadiens

MONTREAL (AP) — Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund had a goal and an assist each as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in a heavy-hitting game between two Atlantic Division rivals Tuesday night.

Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub also scored as Ottawa snapped a two-game skid to end a season-long seven-game road trip.

Jordan Spence and Tyler Kleven provided two assists apiece, and Linus Ullmark stopped 19 shots.

Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky scored power-play goals for Montreal, which lost its second straight. Sam Montembeault made 24 saves.

The Senators led 2-1 after the first period. Slafkovsky opened the scoring at 3:37, but Zetterlund replied 24 seconds later with a one-timer from distance.

Sanderson and Batherson pushed Ottawa’s lead to 4-1 with goals one minute apart in the second.

Suzuki cut into the lead at 8:50 with a wrist shot through Ullmark. Tkachuk then made it 5-2 during a delayed penalty with 7:17 left in the game, taunting the crowd after the goal.

Senators journeyman David Perron picked up an assist in his 1,200th game, making stops in St. Louis (three times), Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Anaheim, Vegas, Detroit and Ottawa. The 37-year-old from Quebec has 322 career goals and 474 assists.

Up next

The Senators begin a three-game homestand on Thursday night against the New York Rangers. The Canadiens play again on Wednesday night, hosting the Winnipeg Jets.