4-goal third period lifts Senators over Sharks

The Ottawa Senators scored four goals in the third period to rally past the visiting San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Saturday night.

Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist and Shane Pinto, Brady Tkachuk, David Perron and Michael Amadio also scored for the Senators, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Ridly Greig had two assists and Linus Ullmark made 34 saves.

Will Smith had a goal and an assist and Tyler Toffoli and defenseman Timothy Liljegren scored for the Sharks, who lost their eighth straight (0-5-3). Macklin Celebrini had two assists and Vitek Vanecek stopped 27 shots.

Smith's 6-on-4 power-play goal with Vanecek pulled made it 4-3 with 1:27 left, but Amadio added an empty-net goal with a minute remaining.

Ottawa scored twice in the first three minutes of the third period to take a 3-2 lead.

Tkachuk's five-on-three power-play goal came 1:26 into the period to tie the game at 2. He scored from the top of the right circle in his return after missing two games with a lower-body injury he sustained in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Stutzle gave the Senators the lead when he put the puck into an empty net. It happened when a clear in by Ridly Greig along the left boards took an unexpected bounce and caromed in front of the net as Vanecek went behind the net expecting to play the puck there. Stutzle ran his point streak to 11 games (4 goals, 12 assists).

Perron scored at 8:31 of the third period.

San Jose scored two power-play goals in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

At 5:17 of the period, Toffoli tied it 1-1. Liljegren gave the Sharks the lead at 9:47.

Pinto's short-handed goal on a breakaway opened the scoring with 8:55 left in the first period. It was his first game back after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson went off late in the game after taking a crosscheck to the back.

Josh Norris also returned from an injury for the Senators. He missed six games.

--Field Level Media