MARK DIDTLER
Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Coach Paul MacLean called the Ottawa Senators’ first win of the season a whole team effort.
Mika Zibanejad scored the deciding goal in the shootout and the Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Saturday night.
Zibanejad’s score made it 2-1 in the third round of the shootout and Steven Stamkos was unable to beat Ottawa goalie Robin Lehner on the Lightning’s third attempt.
“We were pesky,” MacLean said. “Robin was very solid in the net. We got yeoman work from our defensemen. I think finally in the third period our forwards got involved in the game a little bit better defensively and got some good results.”
Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone scored in regulation for the Senators, and Lehner stopped 38 shots through overtime. Ottawa was coming off a season-opening 3-2 loss Thursday night at Nashville.
“A well-battled game,” Karlsson said.
Victor Hedman and Brett Connolly had Tampa Bay’s goals and Ben Bishop made 32 saves.
Ottawa tied the score 1-1 at 7:34 of the third when Karlsson scored after the defenseman exchanged passes with Alex Chiasson, who had just completed serving a minor penalty.
“He’s the straw that stirs the drink,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said of Karlsson.
Stone skated alone into the slot, took a pass from Kyle Turris and beat Bishop to put the Senators ahead, 2-1, just 1:36 later.
“For a couple minutes we forgot about our net,” Cooper said. “Fundamental breakdowns. I thought we had some mental mistakes.”
Connolly’s goal with 7:26 remaining in regulation tied it again.
Hedman gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead from just above the right circle during a power play with 4:18 left in the first.
Bishop stopped all 13 shots he faced in the first period, including an in-close chance by Clarke MacArthur and Chiasson’s redirection during an Ottawa power play.
Lehner made nice saves on Valtteri Filppula and Ondrej Palat during a flurry in the second by the Lightning, who had an 18-6 shots advantage in the period.
“Even though we had a bad second period, we really stepped up in the third,” Karlsson said. “(Robin) not letting in a goal in the second, that gave us confidence. It made us more motivated to go out for the third and play for him a little bit.”
NOTES: Cooper said there should be a better idea by Monday or Tuesday on when rookie F Jonathan Drouin (broken right thumb) will be able to play. … MacLean said there is no timetable for when D Marc Methot (back) will resume skating. … The NHL issued a warning but gave no sanctions to Lightning D Radko Gudas for a hit to the head of Florida’s Scottie Upshall on Thursday. No penalty was called on the play. … U.S women’s Olympic hockey player Anne Schleper dropped the ceremonial first puck and will skate with the Lightning in Monday’s practice.
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