What Happened
Shane Pinto converted the decisive shootout attempt to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 road win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night. Ridly Greig tied the game late in the second period on a 2-on-1, finishing Warren Foegele's cross-ice pass high to the stick side past Semyon Varlamov. Matias Maccelli had opened the scoring for New York with 11.2 seconds left in the period. Linus Ullmark stopped 20 shots for Ottawa, while Varlamov made 18 saves in his second start of the season.
Key Details
- Senators record: 6-2-0; Islanders record: 3-3-1.
- Greig's goal came on a 2-on-1 with an assist from Warren Foegele.
- Maccelli stripped Pinto at Ottawa's blueline before scoring the Islanders' goal.
- Pelech was called for hooking with 3:08 left in overtime; Cozens took a tripping penalty.
- Zub returned to Ottawa's lineup and assisted on Greig's goal after a knee injury.
- William Eklund is expected to miss 10 to 12 weeks following Wednesday ankle surgery.
What It Means
The win keeps Ottawa's strong start intact at 6-2-0, with Ullmark's 20 saves enough to secure two points on the road. Zub's return adds a regular defenceman back into the lineup after a long absence dating to last season's playoffs. For New York, the loss drops the Islanders to 3-3-1, with Varlamov taking the decision in just his second start of the season.
What's Next
Ottawa's William Eklund is expected to miss 10 to 12 weeks after ankle surgery, leaving the Senators without him through much of the season. The Islanders and Senators are scheduled to meet again on Dec. 27, when Victor Eklund and William Eklund could face each other.