Drake Batherson's natural hat trick sends Senators past Ducks

Field Level Media|published: Wed 11th December, 22:42 2024

Dec 11, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) calls the goal after following the puck as it crosses the goal line in the first period against the Anaheim Ducks at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

Drake Batherson racked up a natural hat trick and added an assist as the host Ottawa Senators knocked off the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Wednesday evening.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, Noah Gregor also scored and Linus Ullmark made 31 saves for the Senators, who have won three of their last four games.

Cutter Gauthier scored and John Gibson made 29 saves for the Ducks, who have lost four in a row (0-3-1).

The Ducks surrendered a goal in the opening three minutes for the second straight game.

Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler blocked Nick Jensen's shot from above the right circle, but Gregor swept the rebound into the net for a 1-0 lead at 2:55.

Anaheim committed minor penalties five seconds apart later in the first period and Ottawa scored on the 5-on-3 to move ahead 2-0 at 11:15. Batherson celebrated as Gibson laid on the puck in the crease, but the goal wasn't rewarded until a video review showed it crossed the goal line beneath Gibson.

Batherson was credited with his second goal while on another power play.

He tried to make a short pass to Tim Stutzle, but it hit Fowler's skate and was redirected into his own net to extend Ottawa's lead to 3-0 at 18:25 of the second period.

Batherson completed his second NHL trick when his point shot went off the stick of Fowler and into his own net for a 4-0 lead at 10:30 of the second.

Batherson is the first Ottawa player to score three straight goals in a game since Tkachuk on Dec. 11, 2021, in a 4-0 win against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tkachuk scored the third power-play goal of the game on a redirection from in close to make it 5-0 at 8:58 of the third.

Ottawa went 3-for-5 on the power play.

Ullmark was denied his second shutout of the season and 10th of his NHL career when Gauthier scored on a tip-in at 12:42.

Anaheim center Leo Carlsson returned after missing the past six games with an upper-body injury, and he did not have a shot on goal in 13:35 of ice time while centering the second line.

--Field Level Media