Tatar scores in OT to lift Red Wings past Senators
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Tomas Tatar took advantage of a breakdown in the frenetic 3-on-3 overtime and got the Detroit Red Wings a win after giving up a two-goal lead.
Tatar's breakaway goal gave the Red Wings a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.
Tatar took a pass from Gustav Nyquist and went in alone from the Senators blue line before beating Craig Anderson at 2:04 of the extra period.
"They overskated the puck and Nyquist made a great play to get me the puck at their blue line," Tatar said. "I pretty much decided to go blocker side and just shot it."
Dylan Larkin, Gustav Nyquist, and Riley Sheahan also scored for Detroit. Jimmy Howard finished with 22 saves.
The Red Wings outshot the Senators 15-10 in the third, but it was the Senators scored twice with Ryan getting the tying goal with less than three minutes to play in regulation.
Wideman had the other goal of the period as he moved in from the point and beat Howard with a wrist shot from the top of the slot at 3:13.
"We were looking pretty good in the first and second periods and it should be easier than this," Tatar said. "We can't let that happen, letting teams come back and almost losing the two points."
Mike Hoffman, Bobby Ryan and Chris Wideman scored for Ottawa, which has lost two straight and four of five. Craig Anderson stopped 37 shots.
"Our main concern was a lack of physicality. Everything was skill based. Sometimes you have to bring the game into the trenches," Senators coach Dave Cameron said. "You've got to block shots, you've got to win the battles along the wall and we're trying to do it with stick checking and finessing and that doesn't work in this league."
The Senators have lost five times in nine games that have gone beyond regulation this season.
Ottawa allowed the first goal of the game for the ninth time in 10 home games this season.
This time, it was Larkin who opened the scoring at 9:12 of the first period when he swung around Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson and beat Anderson short side.
Slightly less than two minutes later, Nyquist doubled that lead as he fired a one-timer past Anderson following a cross-ice pass from Justin Abdelkader.
"I'd love to change that but do I have any answers - not right now," Senators defenseman Marc Methot said of all the early deficits. "Coaches are scratching their heads as well, because preparation, from what I've seen, hasn't been the issue.
"Going into the games we've got the right game plans, but it's little inconsistencies that are killing us right now and teams tend to be capitalizing. A lot of it though is fixable so that's the one positive."
Ottawa got one back before the end of the first period as Hoffman scored on the power play with a slap shot from the point that beat Howard with 3:50 left.
The Red Wings increased their lead to 3-1 late in the second period as Sheahan got credit for a goal. The Red Wings had the Senators hemmed in their own zone and on the verge of being short-handed as a delayed penalty was on the way. During a scramble in front of Anderson the puck was struck by a high Detroit stick, but when it landed in the crease Senators defenceman Patrick Wiercioch spun and knocked the puck into his own net.
Sheahan got credit for the goal with 3:26 left in the period.
NOTES Jared Cowan, Shane Prince and Andrew Hammond were the scratches for the Senators. ... The Red Wings scratched Brendan Smith, Joakim Andersson and Tomas Jurco. ... Senators F Shane Prince celebrated his 23rd birthday. ... Senators D Erik Karlsson had his career high three-game goal-scoring streak snapped. It was the third time in his career he has scored in three consecutive games. ... Tatar played his 200th NHL game, all with the Red Wings.