Ottawa Senators Outplay Colorado Avalanche in 5-2 Home Win
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By Doug Hirdle
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Summary:
- The Ottawa Senators delivered a steady, full-game effort, beating the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 on Wednesday.
- Five different Senators scored, while James Reimer stayed sharp despite facing a light workload.
- Colorado pushed in the third period but could not break through Ottawa’s structure.
The Ottawa Senators sent a clear message Wednesday: they compete with anyone. Facing one of the NHL’s top teams, Ottawa put together a complete, composed performance, skating away with a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at the end of the night.
Senators Stayed Well-Organized
From the opening faceoff, the Senators looked comfortable playing at Colorado’s pace, remaining organized, limiting mistakes, and making the most of their chances.
Nick Cousins, Ridly Greig, Claude Giroux, Brady Tkachuk, and Tim Stutzle all found the back of the net, while James Reimer turned aside 16 shots in a calm outing between the pipes.
Colorado, who beat the Maple Leafs previously entered the night with one of the league’s best records, had trouble putting on sustained pressure. Parker Kelly and Valeri Nichushkin scored for the Avalanche, who have now dropped three of their last four games. Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 18 saves.
The game was tight early, but Ottawa seized control in the second period. The Senators opened the scoring when Artem Zub spotted Cousins with a long stretch pass.
Cousins walked in and snapped a shot high short side to beat Blackwood. Colorado responded soon after when a tipped outlet pass slipped through Nick Jensen’s legs and landed on Kelly’s stick, and he made no mistake finishing high on Reimer.
Any momentum Colorado gained was short-lived. Just 17 seconds later, Tyler Kleven sent the puck deep, it caromed off the end boards, and Greig won a race to the loose puck before lifting it past Blackwood to restore Ottawa’s lead.
The Senators extended that advantage early in the third period. Giroux scored his 10th of the season, picking the high blocker side after getting space in the slot.
Colorado pushed back, and a turnover by Giroux led to a quick response. Jack Drury found Nichushkin in front, and he beat Reimer with a backhand high glove.
Empty Net Chances, Missed
That was as close as the Avalanche would get. Despite pressing late, Colorado struggled to break through a disciplined Ottawa defense. After two missed chances at the empty net, Tkachuk finally sealed the result with 2:16 remaining. Stutzle added another into the open cage to put the game away.
Ottawa did not convert on three power-play opportunities, but it did not matter. The Senators controlled play at five-on-five and kept Colorado to just eight shots through two periods.
Next up, Ottawa will return home to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The Avalanche will head to Montreal for a Thursday night matchup with the Canadiens.
