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Michael Amadio scored with 3:09 remaining to propel the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
Amadio’s fifth of the season capped a mini two-goal comeback for the Senators who entered the third period trailing 1-0. Shane Pinto tapped in a rebound of Philip Tomasino’s shot to draw Ottawa even in the final frame.
Samuel Ersson earned his second consecutive victory in goal, making 24 saves.
Senators Game Thoughts
Pace
With each team flying to Buffalo after California road swings, the game was played at a frenetic pace for the most part. For the Senators it was their 17th game played this season in only 33 days, eight of those matchups were the result of back-to-back outings.
Unlike Sunday’s matchup in Anaheim where the team ran out of the gas in the middle period, the Senators were able to maintain their energy throughout this one.
Ersson shines
It was touched on in this space after Saturday’s win in San Jose, Sam Ersson gave the club the goaltending required from a dependable backup.
Wednesday, Ersson provided much of the same, allowing one goal on 25 Sabres shots. The 27-year-old has permitted four goals over his past 70 shots against (.943 Save Percentage) since making a relief apperance in Los Angeles a week ago.
“It’s good for the team, but really good for him,” said Senators head coach Travis Green.
“You know, the Canadian market is alway about goaltending. Nice to see him get a couple wins.”
Line Changes
Once again Green was forced to shuffle his line combos when it was deemed Ridly Greig was out day-to-day after sustaining a lower-body injury versus the Ducks.
Nick Cousins line up alongside Tim Stützle at centre. Dylan Cozens who had been playing the right side on the combo shifted to down to Shane Pinto’s old position between Amadio and Claude Giroux. The Tomasino/Pinto/Drake Batherson trio remained intact. Sammy Blais made his Senators regular season debut, while Hayden Hodgson was re-inserted to the lineup after completing his two-game suspension.
Player performances
With a goal, Michael Amadio is on pace for career highs offensively. Forty points and 25 goals aren’t out of the question for the defensively-conscious Senators forward.
Shane Pinto netted his fourth tally in five games. Ottawa’s record per Sens Central when Pinto scores is an incredible 101-19-12.
With an assist on Pinto’s goal, Tomasino has points in all three games as a Senator since his recall from Belleville replacing the injured Andre Burakovsky.
Tim Stützle continued his mastery. Tied for seventh league-wide in points (22), Stützle made a heady play at his own blue line to chip the puck to Fabian Zetterlund, resulting in a give-and-go and, prior to setting up Amadio for the game-winner. Stützle also added five shots on goal in 23:03 of ice-time.
Special Teams play
The Senators penalty kill excelled in the third period having to withstand a pair of Sabres power plays.
While the NHL’s 30th-ranked power play failed to score once again, the second of Ottawa’s two PP’s saw a lot of puck movement and several near misses. At some point it’s going to click. As former Senator Kyle Turris once said. “Power plays are fickle things.”
Ottawa finally returns home for a three-game homestand starting Saturday when they face the Utah Mammoth. The night will feature appearances by several members of the Senators Alumni including Mike Fisher, Dean McCammond, Peter Schaefer, Craig Anderson, Wade Redden.
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