In the frosty fervor of the Battle of Ontario, the Ottawa Senators wrapped a triumphant ribbon on their holiday festivities, executing a sensational comeback victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. As the echo of a puck striking metal reverberated through Scotiabank Arena, it was clear that the Senators, spurred by the unwavering spirit of Drake Batherson, had staged a revolution on ice that would cement a 4-2 win and snap a five-game road losing streak.
Batherson, whose stick whispered promise every time it touched the puck, defied the ordinary with a two-goal showcase. With Parker Kelly and Brady Tkachuk also etching their names on the scoreboard, the Senators danced to a second consecutive win under the watchful gaze of interim coach Jacques Martin. It was a nostalgic night for Martin, last seen behind the Ottawa bench in the Battle of Ontario back in the days of 2004.
The match had commenced with the Senators trailing the swift pace set by the Leafs, who brandished a 2-0 lead. Yet, Martin’s men showcased the resilience of seasoned warriors. They recalibrated, strengthening their defense as the Leafs’ early advantage withered. “We got better as the game went on,” Martin reflected, pride resonating in his voice as he lauded his team’s burgeoning confidence and composure.
Tkachuk’s triumph extended beyond the team’s victory – with a deft sweep into an empty net, he secured his 300th career point, a personal milestone that underscored the evening’s success. Meanwhile, Batherson’s second goal of the night, a quirk of fate and physics, bewildered all within the arena. From the corner, he unleashed a shot that pirouetted off Leafs’ netminder Martin Jones and into the net. An audacious attempt, born from playful practice, that would declare itself the game-winner.
“Sometimes you have to bank on luck,” Batherson mused postgame, acknowledging the fortune that smiled upon his calculated gamble.
The Senators, still facing the distant glimmer of playoff aspirations, knew that every victory carved a deeper notch in their journey toward potential relevance. Joonas Korpisalo, their goaltender clad in a shroud of determination and a five-year, $20 million U.S. contract, sought redemption from an unsteady start. By the night’s end, he had notched 34 saves, paving the way to victory.
Even as the Senators have wrestled with their second-period demons this season, on this night, they stood in unity, mirroring the Leafs at 2-2 as the clock ticked down on the second frame. Batherson’s 12th goal harmonized with Kelly’s short-handed strike, both igniting Ottawa’s resurgence.
The Senators’ evening was not only a narrative of offense but also one of sheer defensive will and spectacular saves, with Korpisalo and fellow players rallying to stave off the Leafs’ assaults. It was a saga of bruised knuckles too, as centre Ridly Greig answered William Lagesson’s call to test the mettle with fists raised, despite the missed call for instigation.
Even amidst the revelry of star-studded spectators and the initial 2-0 quagmire encasing the Senators, the emboldened team authored a tale of victory, one defying the dire statistics of an 0-6-0 record when trailing after the first. As the final buzzer sang and the arena emptied, those left behind whispered of a game where Senators and Leafs clashed in a glacial dance, and where, against all odds, Ottawa emerged as conquerors of the night.
