Joseph and Forsberg lead Senators past Lightning 4-2
Ottawa Senators right wing Mathieu Joseph (21) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken
TAMPA, Fla. — Mathieu Joseph had two goals, Anton Forsberg made 23 saves and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Monday night.
Ottawa, last in the Atlantic Division, handed the Lightning a second consecutive alarming defeat. Tampa Bay was coming off a 9-2 home loss to Florida on Saturday night.
Mitchell Chaffee and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning, who have a one-point lead over Detroit for the first of two Eastern Conference wild cards. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots.
“We spent the first 10 minutes of the (first) period in their end and had a whole bunch of moments that rose the heart rate and they didn’t go in,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “And then as soon as they got that first one, we were just flat.
“That was the disappointing part of the night is that there’s a ton of game left and we were just flat,” he added. “There’s no emotion. That was a disappointing part.”
Ottawa also got goals from Tim Stützle and Vladimir Tarasenko.
“We played well in all facets of the game and we played consistent,” Joseph said.
Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken
Forsberg made a terrific glove save on Steven Stamkos' shot from the low slot midway through the second period.
Tampa Bay did not get a power play. The Lightning have the NHL's top-ranked power-play unit.
Stützle opened the scoring 10:45 into the game and assisted on Joseph’s goal just 2:50 later. Stützle joined Martin Havlat as the only Ottawa players to have three 50-point seasons before age 23.
Joseph, who played parts of four seasons with Tampa Bay, blocked NHL scoring leader Nikita Kucherov’s shot and then made it 2-0 by scoring on a 2-on-1. Claude Giroux set up the goal to give him a five-game point streak and 1,051 points, which is one from tying Denis Potvin for 76th place on the career list.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Michael Eyssimont and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker (24) fight during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken
“It’s been more fun to beat these guys, to be honest,” Joseph said.
Joseph, on a breakaway, and Chaffee traded goals 1:06 apart late in the second.
Tarasenko put the Senators up 4-1 on a rebound goal at 4:01 of the third before Point responded 35 seconds later.
Kucherov, playing in his 700th NHL game, was held without a point for just the 11th time in his 56 games this season. The right wing, whose 10-game point streak ended, had no shots on goal and finished minus-2.
Stamkos was minus-1 and is minus-23 on the season.
Tampa Bay had 15 shots on goal through the second period. Five came in the first two minutes of the game.
“I think we started how we wanted to, and then we had a little slump in the middle,” Chaffee said. “I think it costs us a little bit. I thought we got back to it later in the game. But I mean, in this league, even you take a little bit of time off, they’re going to score a few goals.”
UP NEXT
Senators: Play again Tuesday night at Florida.
Lightning: Will host Washington on Thursday night.
