Drake Batherson was the hero as the visiting Ottawa Senators recovered after blowing a two-goal third-period lead to claim a 4-3 shootout victory over the struggling Calgary Flames Sunday night.
Batherson, who was denied on an overtime breakaway, lifted a glove-side wrist shot for the winner.
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Goaltender Matt Murray stopped 31 shots — 14 in the third period alone plus three of four Flames in the shootout — for the Senators, who are 4-1 this season in games that go beyond 60 minutes.
Jacob Markstrom made 19 saves through overtime for the Flames, who will have new head coach Darryl Sutter behind the bench next game.
The Senators, who watched the Flames play Saturday in Edmonton, opened the scoring when Connor Brown’s long shot from just inside the blueline ricocheted off the skate of Flames defender Chris Tanev and through Markstrom’s legs at the 13:48 mark.
Ryan Dzingel doubled the lead 128 seconds later during four-on-four play. Chris Tierney led a two-man breakaway that ended when Dzingel redirected the crossing pass for his first goal since he rejoined the Senators.
Flames captain Mark Giordano snapped a 12-game goal drought when he put the Flames on the board 3:41 into the second period, however, Colin White restored Ottawa’s two-goal edge just over three minutes later when he found the loose puck and shoveled it into the net.
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Trailing 3-1 after the second period, Calgary’s comeback began when Johnny Gaudreau converted during his team’s sixth man-advantage of the game early in the third period to make it a one-goal game. Matthew Tkachuk slipped a short pass to Gaudreau during a scramble and he buried the sharp-angled offering at 3:27 of the third period.
Then Noah Hanifin — who scored his first goal in 45 games Saturday night — tallied for the second time in as many outings to make it a 3-3 affair with 7:43 remaining. While the Flames were buzzing, Hanifin pinched from his point position and buried a shot from the slot for the goal that earned the Flames a single point in the standings.
Moments later, defenseman Juuso Valimaki made a diving save to deny Brown of a sure goal after Markstrom misplayed the puck behind his own net.
–Field Level Media