Hammond stops 30 shots in Senators' 5-0 win over Canadiens
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - The Ottawa Senators had the advantage when they were down a man against the Montreal Canadiens.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Curtis Lazar, and Alex Chiasson each scored short-handed goals and Andrew Hammond stopped all 30 shots for his first shutout of the season in Ottawa's 5-0 victory Saturday night.
It was the fourth time in franchise history that the Senators had three short-handed goals in one game, and the first since an 8-2 win at Toronto on April 3, 2008.
"It's fun to score on the (penalty kill)," said Pageau, who recorded his league-leading sixth short-handed goal of the season. "We've worked all year long to try to get better and not allow too many goals. I think we still need to work a little on this, but we're proud for (Saturday)."
Marc Methot and Mika Zibanejad also had goals for Ottawa, which was coming off a 3-1 loss to Buffalo on Friday.
"I thought it was just a real solid effort by every guy on our team starting with (Hammond)," Dion Phaneuf said. "The bottom line, I thought, was that we just outworked them."
Ben Scrivens made 39 saves for the Canadiens.
"I thought I made some good saves and I was trying to give the team a chance," Scrivens said. "But, obviously, in the third period I've got to do a better job of that."
Ottawa put the game out of reach early in the third when Methot made it 3-0, shooting the puck from a sharp angle. Just over a minute later, Chiasson chased down a loose puck and beat Scrivens through the legs.
Zibanejad rounded out the scoring late in the period, tipping in Mike Hoffman's point shot at 17:52.
"There was a lack of execution and concentration," Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said of giving up three short-handed goals. "I've never seen anything like it."
After getting called for too many men on the ice midway through the second period, the Senators once again displayed their short-handed skills.
Lazar gave Ottawa a 2-0 lead as he beat Scrivens up high on a breakaway for the Senators' second short-handed goal of the game.
Ottawa took a 1-0 lead at the 12-minute mark of the first period. Pageau scored down a man on a great pass from Mark Stone.
"It was a tough night," Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty said. "It's the NHL. You've got to show up and play hard and it didn't happen. We just gave them three goals."
NOTES: C Ryan Dzingel was a healthy scratch as Matt Puempel got back in the lineup for the Senators. ... Canadiens D P.K. Subban missed his fourth straight game due to a neck injury. D Mark Barberio was also out with a concussion.