Tkachuk, Senators top Canadiens for third straight win

MONTREAL -- Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists to help the Ottawa Senators defeat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 at Bell Centre on Tuesday.

Austin Watson scored twice, and Anton Forsberg made 27 saves for Ottawa (26-37-6), which won its third straight.
"Everybody was providing," said Tkachuk, the Senators captain. "Whether it was a key hit, a key play, getting it in and then getting in on the forecheck, but everybody played their best."

Brendan Gallagher had a goal and an assist for Montreal (19-40-11), which matched its record for most regulation losses in a season. Jake Allen made 26 saves starting for the ninth time in 10 games.
Drake Batherson gave the Senators a 4-3 lead with their second power-play goal 49 seconds into the third period. Batherson set up Colin White's goal from the top of the slot for a 5-3 lead at 11:30.
Watson scored into an empty net at 15:56 for the 6-3 final.
"[Tkachuk] is definitely leading the way by example," Watson said. "It's nice to have a voice, and he definitely doesn't lack that, we have some good voices in the room, but he's been leading by example for the entire year and it helps our group big time."

Josh Norris and Mathieu Joseph each had two assists for Ottawa. Norris, who scored his first NHL hat trick Sunday against the Detroit Red Wings, has nine points (four goals, five assists) during a six-game point streak.
"When your best players are your best players you usually win, and I thought that was the case tonight," Senators coach D.J. Smith said.
Gallagher put Montreal up 1-0 at 2:31 of the first period. He returned after missing eight games with a lower-body injury.
"'Gally's' a guy who takes the team to war," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "He's in the trenches and he's able to bring energy to the team, and it's good to have guys like that over 82 games."

Watson tied it 1-1 at 15:20 off a turnover by Canadiens defenseman Corey Schueneman.
Tim Stutzle gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal at 7:18.
Justin Barron tied it 2-2 with his first NHL goal at 7:49 on a wrist shot over Forsberg's right shoulder. It was his seventh NHL game.
"He looks more and more at ease," Canadiens defenseman David Savard said. "You see it on the ice, he played extremely well tonight. He's moving around the rink well and that shows his talent. You saw it on that goal, the way he was moving and how he found the top corner like that. And scoring a nice goal like that in Montreal is always even more fun."

Tkachuk gave Ottawa a 3-2 lead at 14:20 before Cole Caufield tied it 3-3 on the power play at 16:25 with a wrist shot that got through under Forsberg's right arm.
NOTES:Stutzle's goal was his 20th power-play point of the season (five goals, 15 assists). Canadiens forward Mike Hoffman was the last Senators player to score more (21 in 2017-18). … Norris tied his longest point streak in the NHL (April 10-22, 2021). … Montreal also had 40 regulation losses in 1983-84, when it was 35-40 with five ties; 2000-01, when it was 28-40-6 with eight ties; and 2017-18, when it was 29-40-13.