OTTAWA — Anthony Duclair scored in overtime to give the Ottawa Senators a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon.
The winner was Duclair’s third of the day against his former team. Duclair has seven goals in his past five games.
Connor Brown also scored for the Senators (14-17-2). Anders Nilsson stopped 38 shots.
Alexandre Texier had a pair of goals for the Blue Jackets (12-14-6)., while Cam Atkinson also scored.
Elvis Merzlikins started the game, but was pulled after the first period where he allowed two goals on eight shots. Joonas Korpisalo came on in relief and allowed two goals on 19 shots.
Nilsson made a couple of fantastic saves in overtime, one on Atkinson and one on Oliver Bjokstrand.
The Senators led 3-1 going into the third, but the Blue Jackets cut the lead to one four minutes into the third as Texier, from the slot, slid one between Nilsson’s pads.
Texier tied the game with his second of the game midway through the period.
Trailing 2-1 the Jackets opted to make a goalie change and put Korpisalo in.
Looking for the equalizer the Blue Jackets had a great opportunity, but Nilsson made a big save on a 2 on 1 and moments later the Senators jumped out to a 3-1 lead as Brown broke in alone on Korpisalo to score his fifth of the season.
The first period saw Ottawa take a 2-1 lead thanks to a pair of goals by Duclair.
Duclair opened the scoring in the early minutes of the game beating Merzlikins with a wrister.
Nilsson then appeared to make a spectacular goal line save on Atkinson, but the Blue Jackets challenged and upon review was deemed the puck had crossed the goal line.
The Senators regained the lead as Artem Anisimov made a great pass to Duclair on a 2 on 1 and he buried it.
Ottawa thought it had taken a 3-1 lead on a Nick Paul goal, but once again Columbus challenged and it was ruled offside.
Defenceman Mark Borowiecki found himself fighting Josh Anderson after Columbus took exception to a hit on Sonny Milano early in the first period that left the winger shaken and out of the game.
NOTES
The Senators are without D Dylan DiMelo who suffered a hand injury Thursday. Andreas Englund was recalled from AHL Belleville. Scott Harrington was a healthy scratch for Columbus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2019.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press
