Ennis' hat trick is all Ottawa needs vs. Buffalo in 5-0 win
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Tyler Ennis had a hat trick to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 5-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.
Drake Batherson and Alex Formenton also scored for Ottawa, while Matt Murray made 32 saves for his third win of the season and 14th career shutout.
The win came at a cost: Batherson went hard into the boards late in the first period and did not return. Dylan Gambrel also suffered an upper-body injury.
This was the first of a four-game homestand for the Senators, who continue to play without fans. It was also the second straight home game against Buffalo without fans, as the two met up a week ago with the Sabres winning 3-1.
Aaron Dell, who faced 47 shots, got the start for the Sabres, but had a rough outing.
Late in the first, Batherson went to chase a puck behind the net and Dell gave him a shove which left him crashing into the boards feet-first. Batherson struggled to put weight on his left leg and needed assistance down the tunnel.
Dell’s night didn’t get much better, giving up three first-period goals.
Formenton made it 4-0 midway through the second. Tim Stutzle drew Dell out of his net and made a toe-drag pass to Formenton, who had a wide-open net for his eighth of the season.
Ennis completed the hat trick with just under a minute remaining in regulation.
Ennis opened the scoring at the 15-minute mark of the first on a beautiful give-and-go sequence with Adam Gaudette. Batherson then picked up his 13th of the season on the power play as Stutzle’s shot hit him before hitting the post. In an effort to clear the puck, Mattias Samuelsson ended up putting it in his own net.
Ennis rounded out the scoring with his second of the night as he one-timed a shot past Dell.
NOTES
Ottawa D Erik Brannstrom entered COVID-19 protocol Tuesday and as a result Lassi Thomson was recalled from AHL Belleville. ... Casey Mittelstadt and Zemgus Girgensons returned to the Sabres lineup Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Sabres: At Arizona on Saturday.
Senators: Host Carolina on Thursday.
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