Geekie Scores Again But Bruins Fall, 7-2, to Senators in Ottawa

OTTAWA –– The Boston Bruins will look to quickly turn the page after falling 7-2 to the Ottawa Senators on Monday night at Canadian Tire Centre.

​“It’s a tough one,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “It was a very disappointing night.”

​The B’s will have a chance to respond when they host the New York Islanders on Tuesday at TD Garden in the second half of the back-to-back.

“Obviously, it’s a slap to the face. We are the Boston Bruins. That is unacceptable,” Nikita Zadorov said. “We have to come out tomorrow and play like we should in front of our crowd.”

The Bruins started out with the lead on Monday. Morgan Geekie stopped the puck at the offensive blueline and dashed toward the net, lasering one past Leevi Meriläinen to make it 1-0 at 3:06. It was the forward’s fifth goal in four games and seventh of the season.

The Senators tied the game while on the power play. Drake Batherson knocked in a rebound down low at 10:25 for the 1-1 scoreline ahead of the middle frame. Claude Giroux then put Ottawa up 2-1 at 1:08 of the second with a tip-in shot. Batherson’s second of the night – which was a wrist shot from the slot – made it 3-1 at 14:44.

Ottawa took over in the third with four goals, three of which came on the power play. Tim Stützle scored twice before Nick Cousins and Fabian Zetterlund secured the 7-1 advantage.

“I just know how hard this group works and how bad everybody wants it,” Geekie said. “And then to show up like – we put them on the power play five times. They score four of them. You’re shooting yourselves in the foot.”

Viktor Arvidsson scored his second goal of the season – and second in two games – with 9.7 seconds remaining in regulation, which brought the game to its final 7-2 standing.

​“You don’t have to think about too much here right now. Just gotta move forward,” Sturm said. “We’re going to talk about tomorrow, and better have a good response tomorrow, especially at home.”

​Jeremy Swayman started his second consecutive game and seventh of the year. The goaltender made 17 saves.

“It is not who we are, and I think that is the message we really want to send to each other. This is a one-off,” Swayman said. “It is not who we are, and we have to move forward. We have a game tomorrow and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”