Linus Ullmark turned aside 37 of 38 shots on Saturday night in the host Ottawa Senators’ 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators, who lost their seventh straight game.
Jacob Bernard-Docker, Claude Giroux, and Nick Cousins scored for the Senators and Tim Stutzle picked up a pair of assists.
Fedor Svechkov ended Ullmark’s shutout bid, scoring the Predators’ lone goal with just 1:57 left in the game. Juuse Saros made 27 saves for Nashville.
The best opportunity to score in a goalless opening frame came at 13:06, when Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk sent a crafty chip pass to Josh Norris, but the sniper was unable to shovel the puck past Saros.
Bernard-Docker tallied his first goal of the season just over five minutes into the second period after Stutzle found the trailing defenseman, who launched the puck into the top corner.
Giroux got a bit of puck luck to double the Senators’ lead with 3:08 left in the second period. His attempted pass bounced off the skate of defenseman Steven Stamkos and slid into the empty cage.
In the final minutes of the second period, Ullmark turned aside Tommy Novak’s 2-on-1 chance and then got a little help from the post when Roman Josi’s point shot rang off the iron.
The Predators tried to use physicality to spark their lifeless offense as Zack Ostapchuk answered Cole Smith’s request and the two dropped the gloves with under 30 seconds left in the second.
Cousins gave the Senators some insurance as he took advantage of a breakaway with 7:23 left in the contest to bring the score up to 3-0.
Predators forward Alexandre Carrier left the game after taking a huge hit from Tkachuk less than two minutes into the third period.
–Field Level Media
