Milan Michalek recorded the first hat trick of
his career, as the Ottawa Senators handled the Tampa Bay Lightning, 7-1, at
Scotiabank Place.
Alex Kovalev, Alexandre Picard, and Nick Foligno each scored a goal for the
Senators, who finished a four-game homestand with a 3-1-0 mark. Jarkko Ruutu
had a goal and two assists, while Daniel Alfredsson added three helpers. Chris
Kelly and Anton Volchenkov had two assists apiece. Pascal Leclaire stopped 16-
of-17 shots for the victors.
Ryan Malone had the lone score for the Lightning, who had a brief two-game
winning streak snapped. Mike Smith allowed all seven goals on 35 shots.
The Senators got their offense going at the 4:25 mark of the first period.
After Tampa Bay turned the puck over in its own zone, Alfredsson found an open
Kovalev in front of the net. Kovalev then chipped the disc into an empty half
of the net.
Michalek's short-handed goal at the 10:22 mark of the first gave Ottawa a two-
goal margin. Ruutu's shot from the point set up a rebound attempt in front of
the net, and Michalek was there to lift the puck past Smith.
After Tampa Bay failed to score on a two-man advantage, Michalek lit the lamp
at the 5:41 mark of the second to make it a 3-0 game. Alfredsson lifted a pass
that went off the glove of Martin St. Louis and onto the stick of Michalek,
setting up a breakaway. Michalek made his way to the net before going to the
right and lifting a backhander past Smith.
Just 34 seconds later, Picard's wrister from the left circle found the back of
the net for a 4-0 Senators lead. Foligno's wrister from the left circle went
through Smith's five-hole with 9:01 left to make it 5-0.
Tampa Bay finally got on the board with 5:34 remaining in the second. St.
Louis charged down the left side of the ice to lead a 2-on-1 break for the
Lightning. St. Louis dumped the disc off to Malone, who fired a shot past
Leclaire.
Michalek completed his hat trick at the 11:39 mark of the third period with a
power-play goal. Ruutu's score with 2:59 to go accounted for the final margin.
Game Notes
Lightning defenseman Kurtis Foster was back in the lineup Thursday after
missing the last four games with a lower-body injury...Ottawa won three of
four meetings with the Lightning last year and has taken six of eight overall
in the series. Tampa Bay has also dropped three straight, four of five and
nine of its last 11 contests in Canada's capital city...The Lightning travel
to Pittsburgh on Saturday, while the Senators head to Montreal on Saturday.
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