Senators end skid with win over struggling Canucks

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Artem Zub and Jordan Spence’s first-period goals, scored 15 seconds apart, were enough to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Leevi Merilainen had a solid outing making 18 saves for the Senators, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

Vancouver has now lost eight straight (0-6-2) and is in the midst of its longest road trip of the season, a six-game stretch that wraps up Thursday in Columbus. They’re currently 0-5.

Elias Pettersson scored goal for the Canucks, while Kevin Lankinen stopped 38 shots.

Trailing 2-0 the Canucks were able to cut the lead in half off an ugly Dylan Cozens giveaway. Linus Karlsson intercepted Cozens’ pass attempt and fed Pettersson in the slot for his 13th of the season.

Ottawa looked to extend its 2-0 lead in the second, but Lankinen made a number of impressive stops, including two on the goal-line robbing Brady Tkachuk and Cozens.

The Senators came out firing outshooting the Canucks 11-1 late in the period and were rewarded when Shane Pinto sent a pass to Zub and he stepped into the circle and beat Lankinen short side to take a 1-0 lead.

Just 15 seconds later off a faceoff win, Drake Batherson sent a pass over to Spence who ripped a shot far side to make it 2-0. It was Ottawa’s fastest two goals since Dec. 21, 2023, when Josh Norris and Ridly Greig also had goals 15 seconds apart.

Up next

Canucks: At Columbus on Thursday in the last of a six-game trip.

Senators: At New York Rangers on Wednesday.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/nhl