OTTAWA — Cam Talbot made 32 saves for his first shutout with the Ottawa Senators in a 3-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks at the Canadian Tire Center on Monday.
Talbot, who was acquired from the Minnesota Wild on July 12, made 12 saves in the second period and 15 in the third for his first win at home this season (1-5-0) in eight games (six starts).
“We came out, established our game early in the first period and never looked back from there,” Talbot said. “It’s a gutsy effort.”
Alex DeBrincat scored twice, and Claude Giroux had two assists for the Senators (12-14-2), who are 6-2-1 in their past nine games.
Talbot and DeBrincat each were not participating in the morning skate after game-time decisions.
“Who needs morning skates, right?” Talbot laughed. “I mean, [DeBrincat] didn’t skate either and he came out with two goals. So, I mean, I think they’re overrated.”
Video: Cam Talbot saves all shots on goal
Lukas Dostal made 35 saves in his season debut for the Ducks (7-19-3), who have had one win in their past nine games (1-6-2).
“He played extremely well,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. “He made a couple of huge saves. … He was real solid. He’s a great kid. He’s a kid that you can cheer for a lot just because of his character, his attitude, how he works. I wish we could’ve played a little bit better for him and maybe got it to an overtime game.”
Parker Kelly scored his first goal of the season to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead at 5:42 of the first period, tipping in a point shot by Nikita Zaitsev.
“Sometimes when you get on these bad runs it seems like even the games you think you play well, they just don’t go your way. That’s the tough part,” Ducks defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said.
Video: ANA@OTT: Kelly tips it in to put Senators on board
“A bounce here or there, it seems to be the one mistake or kind of makes you lose those heartbreakers. We just need to keep working hard and create our own luck, create our own bounces and just chip away at it one game at a time.”
DeBrincat one-timed a cross-crease pass from Giroux on a power play to make it 2-0 at 10:19, then redirected a centering pass from Drake Batherson on a power play at 12:00 of the third period for the 3-0 final.
DeBrincat has three goals in his past two games and extended his point streak to six (three goals, four assists).
“Earlier in the year, maybe that second one doesn’t go in,” DeBrincat said. “But, you know, it’s nice that I’m getting the bounces now and hopefully I can keep that up.”
Video: ANA@OTT: DeBrincat redirects the puck and scores PPG
Ottawa was 2-for-4 on the power play. Anaheim was 0-for-3.
“It comes down to special teams,” Eakins said. “In this league, you’ve either got to win the special teams battle or, at the very minimum, be even and our Achilles heel this year has been just that. You’re not going to win many games in this league unless you “re even or better.”
Ottawa forward Tim Stutzle left the game with an upper-body injury following a hit by Brett Leason at 10:10 of the first. Forward Tyler Motte also left the game after the first with an upper-body injury following a hit by Simon Benoit at 14:03.
There was no update on either player following the game.
“The NHL’s not meant for 10 forwards, but give guys credit,” Senators coach DJ Smith said. “Guys played out of position, played different positions, played with different linemates and did a real nice job.”
Dostal is 1-3-0 in five NHL games (four starts). He was recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League on Saturday after goalie Anthony Stolarz sustained a lower-body injury and did not make the trip to Ottawa.
“Coming from the AHL, you know, at the start the game’s a little bit different,” Dostal said. “It took me maybe just a couple of minutes to adjust, but as the game went on, I felt pretty good out there, actually. Obviously, still upset we lost, but personally, I felt pretty good out there.”
NOTES: It was Talbot’s 28th NHL shutout. … Senators forward Rourke Chartier had two shots on goal, one hit and was plus-1 in 11:26 of ice time in his Ottawa debut after being recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Monday. … Batherson extended his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists). … Prior to the game, former Senators defenseman Wade Redden became the first player inducted into their Ring of Honor. He had 410 points (101 goals, 309 assists) in 838 games for Ottawa from 1997-2008.
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