Batherson Makes It a Hat Trick, Powering Senators Past Ducks

Summary:

• The Ottawa Senators defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-1. 
• Drake Batherson’s natural hat trick contributed to the victory.
• The forward scored his 100th goal in the NHL and is on track to surpass last year’s career-best. 

Just over two weeks ago, Drake Batherson’s father texted him saying his next goal would be his “100th in the NHL“. 

After having a goal called back last week, the Ottawa Senators forward couldn’t help but wonder when that milestone would finally arrive.

The wait dramatically ended on Wednesday night when the 26-year-old Batherson didn’t just score his 100th goal but made sure it was a night to remember. 

His milestone goal was the first of three in a commanding 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

Lengthy Review Needed

The moment came during a first-period two-man advantage. Batherson unleashed a shot from just below the faceoff dot. 

The puck vanished beneath a sprawling John Gibson, and for a tense few minutes, everyone waited for the official verdict. After a lengthy review, the call came, and it was announced that Batherson’s shot had indeed crossed the line.

Yeah, I had no idea, I kind of put my hands up trying to sell it. I couldn’t see anything, and then Brady (Tkachuk) came right up to me and said he saw it go in.

It was just the beginning of Batherson’s night. The forward managed to double the lead with another power-play goal to make it 3-0, completing his first career natural hat trick midway through the second period. 

The last time he pulled a hat trick was on October 25, 2021, but this one felt extra special.

His contribution didn’t stop there, as he also added an assist on Brady Tkachuk’s goal, giving him an impressive four-point performance. 

Stützle: “One of the Most Underrated Players in the League”

With this season’s current pace, the Fort Wayne, Indiana-born is projected to notch a career-high 35 goals.

In the last two years where the Ottawar Senators have been sold and have struggled with consistency, his offensive spark has been a bright spot. His teammates certainly appreciate his efforts.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the most underrated players in the league” said Tim Stützle. “He just does things so well, such a smart player.”

Batherson is on track to surpass last year’s career-best of 28 goals and 66 points. With 28 games in, he is currently sitting at 12 goals and 20 assists, reflecting an improvement from 11 goals and 14 assists at the same point last season.

“I think the hardest thing in the NHL is playing consistent every night,” Batherson commented, adding that everything has been a “work in progress” for the past seven years.

Green: “That’s a Pretty Solid Game” 

The Senators’ performance was impressive beyond Batherson’s heroics. They successfully killed off all five penalties and converted three out of five power-play opportunities.

“That’s a pretty solid game”, said head coach Travis Green. “I loved our start. I loved how we kept playing through the course of the game.”

Noah Gregor got the scoring started for Ottawa, giving the team an early boost of momentum. Meanwhile, the Ducks couldn’t find their rhythm and fell behind 3-0 before they even settled into the game.

Anaheim coach Greg Cronin admitted after

We just weren’t skating, They were jumping from the opening faceoff. They won faceoff battles, they won edge battles, they won puck battles. It’s hard to compete when you’re always behind the puck.

Cutter Gauthier managed to spoil Linus Ullmark’s shutout bid with a late goal in the third, but it was too little, too late for the Ducks. The night belonged to Drake Batherson and the Senators, who left the ice with a well-earned victory and a milestone to celebrate.