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Tkachuk scores first career hat trick as Senators shut out Lightning 4-0

Dec 11, 2021 | 2:21 PM

OTTAWA — Brady Tkachuk scored his first career hat trick Saturday afternoon to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Josh Norris also scored for the Senators (8-16-1) and Anton Forsberg made 24 saves for his first career shutout.

Forsberg is riding a personal four-game win streak and appears to have taken over the top starter’s role in Ottawa.

The loss ended Tampa Bay’s five-game winning streak. The Lightning (17-6-4), who closed a five-game road swing, were looking to finish a trip of five or more games with a perfect record for the first time in franchise history.

Brian Elliott stopped 20 shots for the Lightning.

Tkachuk capped his afternoon with an empty-net goal with just over three minutes remaining in regulation to the delight of the 13,076 on hand at Canadian Tire Centre.

While both teams had a solid opening 20 minutes, it was the Senators who opened the scoring as Norris picked up his 12th goal of the season off a great pass from Drake Batherson.

A pair of power-play goals in the second period allowed the Senators to stretch their lead to 3-0.

Elliott had come up with a couple of big saves, but was unable to stop Tkachuk at the three-minute mark. The goal was Tkachuk’s first power-play point of the season.

Two minutes later, Tkachuk scored again as he deflected a Thomas Chabot point shot. The two teams meet again Thursday in Tampa with the season series tied 1-1.

Notes: Defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, recalled from AHL Belleville, was a healthy scratch for the Senators. Ottawa blueliner Michael Del Zotto cleared waivers earlier in the day. … Tampa’s Anthony Cirelli missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2021.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press