Article content
The Ottawa Senators weathered the storm on Sunday night.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Unlimited digital access to the Ottawa Citizen.
- Analysis on all things Ottawa by Bruce Deachman, Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, and others, award-winning newsletters and virtual events.
- Opportunity to engage with our commenting community.
- Ottawa Citizen ePaper.
- Ottawa Citizen App.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.
- Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.
- Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
- Enjoy additional articles per month
- Get email updates from your favourite authors
Sign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
As people in Ottawa pulled out their shovels for the first time this winter, the Senators dug deep to get the job done with timely scoring and strong goaltending in a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth in front of 17,470 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Article content
Article content
Michael Amadio scored in his fourth consecutive game to help put this away in the third, while Nick Cousins, Jordan Spence and Ridley Greig chipped in with goals.
Article content
Article content
Goaltender Leevi Merilainen had a strong effort with 28 stops as the Senators moved their record to 3-0-2 in their past five games.
Article content
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
“The way we played in the second and third is what we’ve been trying to achieve lately,” said alternate captain Thomas Chabot. “We stuck with it. We played our game the whole way, we gave ourselves our best chance we got it done.”
Article content
A key turning point came just 22 seconds into the third, when the Senators challenged a goal by Jack McBain that would have tied it up 3-3. McBain bumped Merilainen and deposited the loose puck, but the Senators won the challenge.
Article content
HOME, SWEET HOME
Article content
This is the start of a four-game homestand for the Senators.
Article content
They picked up three of four points in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday and a 3-2 OT victory over Philadelphia on Saturday.
Article content
The Senators came into this game with a 5-1-2 record in their past eight games, and were 6-3-3 since captain Brady Tkachuk suffered a torn thumb ligament.
Article content
Article content
Cousins did a good job opening up a 3-1 lead at 13:52 of the second. He circled the net, pulled Utah goalie Vitek Vanecek out of position and fired it home for his third of the season.
Article content
The Mammoth’s Nick Schmaltz scored his seventh career goal against the Senators to cut the lead to 3-2 with 1:04 left in the second.
Article content
SHIFTING GEARS
Article content
Rugged winger Hayden Hodgson was recalled from Belleville and made his Ottawa debut.
Article content
Coach Travis Green told reporters before the game that it was for precautionary reasons, but neither Ollie Lycksell nor Kurtis MacDermid took warmup.
Article content
Green continued to toy with his line combinations but didn’t make any changes on the blueline.
Article content
That meant Spence suited up for his second straight game and scored his first in an Ottawa uniform. He fired a blast by Vanecek to give the Senators a 2-1 lead at 7:13 of the second.
Article content
Spence has played in only seven of the club’s 16 games, and that has proved to be a sore point on social media. He has to make an impact if he’s going to stay in the lineup, and he had a two-point effort. That earned him playing time with Thomas Chabot for most of the third.
French 
English