GARRIOCH: Three points from Tkachuk help Senators make it three straight with win over Canadiens

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Senators 6, Canadians 3

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MONTREAL—Hope springs eternal.

Led by a three-point effort from captain Brady Tkachuk, along with two-point nights from Mathieu Joseph, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson and Austin Watson, the Ottawa Senators scored a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

The Senators extended their winning streak to three straight as Colin White and Tim Stuetzle also chipped in with goals while Watson’s second of the night came into an empty net.

Anton Forsberg picked up his 17th win of the season as the Senators had a solid effort to help Ottawa pick up the two points. Just for good measure, Stuetzle finished the game in a fight with Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher.

The Senators closed out the weekend with a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at home. In the midst of a stretch that will see the club play five games in seven days, Ottawa was hoping to solve the Habs in this one.

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Ottawa came into this one with an 0-2-0 record against Montreal this season. The club dropped a 5-1 decision here on March 19 when the Habs were led by a 29-save effort by Habs goalie Jake Allen.

“They’re getting odd-man rushes, they’re creating offense and they’ve got some guys that are really hot,” coach DJ Smith said before the game. “That was a big win for them (5-4) in Tampa (Saturday) night.

“I thought we played really well in here the last time and we just didn’t get the result. I thought Allen was really good. They’re a good, young team. They were in the Stanley Cup final a year ago and I think sometimes we forget that. They’ve got a lot of really good players over there.

“They just went through a tough time, but that’s a good hockey team and we’ll be ready (for this one).”

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Facing the Habs for the first time this season, Forsberg came into this game with a 2-0-0 lifetime record against Montreal with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

This wasn’t his best night but he got the job done and he had offensive support.

White’s blast with an extra attacker on the ice on a delayed penalty for his third of the season at 11:30 of third sealed the victory.

Batherson’s first since returning March 24 from a high-ankle sprain that kept him out nine weeks gave the club a 4-3 lead on the power play only 29 seconds into the third. I have tipped a shot from Norris by Allen.

That goal came with Montreal’s Nick Suzuki in the box and he could be in some hot water with the league. He was penalized for a vicious and dangerous knee on Stuetzle late in the second.

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Fortunately, Stuetzle got up and was fine.

Neither the Senators nor the Habs will make the playoffs, but they’re both putting up a good fight in the final month of the season.

This was a see-saw battle and no lead was safe. Cole Caufield tied it up 3-3 with his 16th of the season. His shot of him found its way through Forsberg at 16:25 of the second and that’s one where he has to make the stop.

After taking the lead twice, the Senators weren’t able to capitalize on it because the Habs were able to get right back into the game.

A goal by Tkachuk at 14:20 gave Ottawa a 3-2 lead and, again, it didn’t last.

Tkachuk completed a tic-tac-toe passing play in the Montreal zone by firing it into a wide open net on a pass from Joseph. That was Joseph’s sixth assist and ninth point in the seven games he’s suited up with Ottawa.

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Thirty-one seconds after the Senators pulled out to a 2-1 lead, the Habs tied it up when defenseman Justin Barron scored his first NHL goal at 7:49 by beating Forsberg from the circle.

Earlier, Stuetzle’s 15th of the season with the club on the power play gave the Senators a brief lead. That came with Caufield in the box. Stuetzle backhanded home to a loose puck Allen couldn’t handle in the crease.

While the Senators didn’t get off to a great start, the club’s play improved and Watson tied it up with his second goal in the last three games, making it 1-1 after 20 minutes.

He pounced on a giveaway by Montreal’s Corey Schueneman and one-timed a blast by Allen on the glove side to tie it up at 15:20 of the first. That was one Allen wanted back, but give Watson credit because he wasted no time blasting it home.

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Only 2:31 into the first, the Senators were down in this one.

A terrible giveaway by Dylan Gambrell down low allowed Gallagher to open the scoring with his sixth of the season. He went to the front of the net and beat Forsberg on the stick side.

The Senators challenged for goalie interference because Mike Hoffman made contact with Forsberg in the crease and knocked him out of position. The NHL’s war room ruled Artem Zub pushed Hoffman into Forsberg and the goal stood.

“Zub caused Hoffman to contact Forsberg,” the league said in its decision.

The Senators will host Mark Borowiecki and the Nashville Predators on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre.

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Twitter: @sungarrioch