Colin Graf tallied a goal and an assist while Yaroslav Askarov stopped 39 shots, leading the San Jose Sharks to a 6-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, nhl.com reported.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Samuel Ersson remains in search of his first win with Ottawa after making 23 saves, while Linus Ullmark nurses a lower-body injury.
- Macklin Celebrini continues to pace the Sharks offensively, solidifying his early-season roster value despite a middling 6-4-1 start for San Jose.
- Zack Ostapchuk and Colin Graf scored for the Sharks as secondary scorers.
Special Teams Turn Momentum in the Second Period
San Jose captured the momentum during a decisive stretch in the second period, capitalizing on special teams to seize control of the contest. Tyler Toffoli broke a 1-1 tie at 9:13 with a power-play wrist shot through heavy traffic from the point past Samuel Ersson. Just moments later at the 12:00 mark, Graf struck while short-handed. After stripping the puck from Stephen Halliday in the defensive zone, Graf initiated a rush, dropped the pass to Ty Dellandrea, and dove to tap the return feed into an open net.
Click here to watch Jordan Spence, Fabian Zetterlund, Sam Ersson, and Head Coach Travis Green's media availability following tonight's game against the San Jose Sharks 📺
The visiting side carried that assertive play into the final frame. Jordan Spence netted a third-period goal at 6:24 to make it a two-goal game, but the Senators ultimately lacked the intensity they displayed Wednesday against the Panthers. With under four minutes remaining and Ersson pulled for an extra attacker on a power play, Zack Ostapchuk intercepted a giveaway to pot an empty-netter. Ivar Stenberg added a second empty-net goal to secure the lopsided margin.
Roster Shuffling and Injury Adjustments in Ottawa
The loss compounded a difficult 24 hours for the Senators, who placed goaltender Linus Ullmark on injured reserve after he sustained a lower-body injury reaching for a pad save against Florida. Head coach Travis Green confirmed to media that Ullmark will miss one to two weeks, prompting the club to recall Jonas Johansson from Belleville of the American Hockey League to serve as the backup to Ersson. Despite the challenging circumstances of playing the fifth stop of a grueling road trip on a back-to-back, San Jose managed the physical toll effectively.
While we wait for the second period to start, here’s a new look at Tim’s opening goal to put the Sens on the board and secure $1,000 for @CanadasLifeline 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ETMiVipozL
Obviously last night’s game was really big, but coming into this game, you know, it was going to be a challenge, especially on a back-to-back,
Jordan Spence noted following the match. And I think all the back-to-backs we had, we’ve lost. So we wanted to kind of come prepared, mentally and physically ready.
Ersson offered an assessment of his team’s resilience despite the final scoreline, pointing to stretches of territorial control. I think we play like a pretty good game for a lot of stretches,
Ersson said. Especially after their score, their fourth one. I think we take over and like we dominate for the whole third period too, so lots of good things.
Upcoming Travel and Schedule Demands
Both franchises must quickly pivot toward their weekend fixtures as the early-season schedule intensifies. The Sharks head south to Massachusetts to face the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, concluding their six-game road swing. Meanwhile, the Senators return to home ice to host the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
Gameday in Ottawa! 🆚: Senators⏰: 4 p.m. PT📺: @NBCSSharks 🎙️: @SharksAudioNet pic.twitter.com/Rm0SzzZhee
