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Senators Rally to Beat Bruins in Shootout

Senators Rally to Beat Bruins in Shootout image

The Ottawa Senators moved into playoff position with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Boston Bruins at Canadian Tire Centre.

Tim Stutzle scored the decisive goal in the shootout while rookie netminder Leevi Merilainen stopped all three Bruins attempts.

The Senators staged a remarkable rally, scoring twice with their goalie pulled. Josh Norris tied the game with 12 seconds remaining after defenseman Jake Sanderson made two shot blocks on empty-net attempts by Boston.

“I don’t think we scored one (six-on-five goal) in a long time, and now we get two,” Stutzle told Sportsnet’s Shawn McKenzie. “I think a well-deserved win for the whole group.”

The win puts Ottawa at 50 points, tied with Boston, but the Senators claim the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card position having played two fewer games.

Merilainen, 22, improved his season record to 5-2-1.

“Probably the greatest comeback I’ve ever been a part of for sure,” he said. “Such a crazy game.”

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk noted the electric atmosphere in the building.

“I’ve never been in a playoff game before, but I feel like that emulated pretty solidly tonight,” Tkachuk said. “There’s been some pretty awesome atmospheres. But I don’t know, this one just felt different. It felt like a preview of what’s to come.”

Wade Sterling avatar
Wade Sterling