Senators need just 15 seconds in OT to top Canucks

Field Level Media|published: Sun 22nd December, 01:23 2024

Dec 21, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Ottawa Senators goalie Leevi Merilainen (1) and forward Brady Tkachuk (7) and forward Nick Cousins (21) celebrate the win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Jake Sanderson scored the winner 15 seconds into overtime as the visiting Ottawa Senators extended their winning streak to six games with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Ottawa won the opening faceoff of the overtime and Sanderson raced down the left wing and tucked the puck between the legs of Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen.

Senators rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen, making his first NHL appearance in a year and a half, made 21 saves for his first career win.

Shane Pinto had two goals and an assist and Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who were playing the third game of a franchise-record nine-game road trip. Josh Norris also scored for Ottawa.

Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists, Brock Boeser scored twice and Jake DeBrusk added a goal for the Canucks, who have lost three in a row (0-1-2). Phillip Di Giuseppe had two assists, and Lankinen finished with 17 saves.

Vancouver rallied three times to tie the score, including at 4-4 on Boeser's second goal of the game with just under five minutes left in the third that set the stage for overtime.

Giroux opened the scoring 90 seconds into the first period, deflecting a long shot from defenseman Thomas Chabot past Lankinen.

Pinto finished off a two-on-one at 16:22 of the opening period to make it 2-0.

The Canucks cut the deficit in half just under two minutes later as Boeser, falling backward at the side of the net, took a hard pass from Hughes and beat Merilainen to the glove hand.

Hughes tied it 2-2 with 38 seconds left in the first. The reigning Norris Trophy winner faked a shot then took a long wrist shot through a maze of players that sneaked in.

Pinto recorded his second multigoal game of the season by tallying at 4:24 of the middle frame. Pinto shook off defenseman Tyler Myers and chipped the puck over Lankinen's left pad from in close to make it 3-2.

DeBrusk leveled the score at 3-3 at 13:36 of the second.

Norris scored a short-handed goal to make it 4-3 two minutes later.

--Field Level Media

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