Pinto has 3 points, Senators cruise past Kraken

SEATTLE -- Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists, and the Ottawa Senators cruised to a 7-4 win against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.

Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle scored, and Nick Cousins tallied two assists for the Senators (31-22-9), who have won three of four and extended their point streak to six games (4-0-2). Linus Ullmark made 17 saves.

“I think obviously [our depth] is our strength, all four lines had a great night, and it’s a good team win,” Pinto said. 

Jacob Melanson, Eeli Tolvanen and Matty Beniers scored, Jordan Eberle had two assists, and Joey Daccord made 29 saves for the Kraken (29-24-9), who have lost their past two games after winning two.

"I think we had energy in the second period when we started to get a little bit physical," Seattle coach Lane Lambert said. "That was really the moment, I guess, there was a little pocket in there where we had what I consider to be energy that’s necessary and required. And other than that, there wasn’t a whole lot of energy."

Melanson made it 1-0 at 8:45 of the first period off a 3-on-2 rush. Ben Meyers drove to the net and tipped Ryan Winterton’s shot out of the air. Melanson found the rebound and chipped it over a sprawling Ullmark.

“The fourth line’s been, in my opinion, our best line for the most part,” Seattle defenseman Brandon Montour said. “They don’t necessarily have to score goals every night, but they’re creating energy. ‘Mel’ has been a big boost. I’ve been really impressed with his game.” 

Tyler Kleven tied it 1-1, 34 seconds later at 9:19, sliding down from the point to the left circle, catching a saucer pass from Pinto in the far corner, and snapping it past Daccord’s glove.

Dylan Cozens gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead at 13:35, cutting across the slot and wristing a shot from the right circle that went off Daccord’s left arm and in.

Pinto pushed it to 3-1 at 1:34 of the second period when Artem Zub’s shot from the point bounced off Daccord’s blocker, then Pinto’s leg and into the net.

“I think I’ve had a few chances the last few games, and they’re finally going in,” Pinto said. “Hopefully I can just continue and help the team win.” 

Amadio extended the lead to 4-1 at 10:09 after Pinto found him in the slot from behind the net, and Amadio redirected it past Daccord’s glove with a wrist shot.

“We’re reading off each other well. [Amadio] and [Cousins] do a great job of supporting and winning battles, and they’re super smart players,” Pinto said. “They’re super smart players, and pucks are going in.”

Tolvanen cut it to 4-2 at 15:00 with a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Ullmark’s glove. The goal came while Melanson was battling in front of the net with Kleven to create a screen.

“I think that’s how we have to play,” Tolvanen said. “It’s playoff time. We have to start playing like [Melanson] does, go to the net, be physical. That’s why we got the turnover, that’s why I got the puck -- because he’s playing physical.”

Warren Foegele, playing his first game for Ottawa after he was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, made it 5-2 at 2:42 of the third period after Lars Eller intercepted Daccord’s clearing attempt. Eller then slid it to Foegele, who scored through Daccord’s five-hole from the slot.

“The guys, staff, everyone here has been so welcoming and super supportive,” Foegele said. “That makes it a lot easier, especially because these last 48 hours have been pretty wild in that sense. … It felt really good to get a win, and obviously it felt nice to contribute as well.”

“[Foegele] was awesome,” Pinto said. “I think when you score, it’s obviously great, but I think he was doing all things right. We knew that coming in that he’s a 200-foot player, and he’s only going to get better.”

Stutzle scored into an open net to make it 6-2 at 3:58 after Drake Batherson got the bouncing puck in the slot and found Stutzle open at the top of the crease for the wrist shot, and Tkachuk made it 7-2 off a 2-on-1 rush with Thomas Chabot at 7:24.

“I thought all our lines were really good tonight, one through four,” Ottawa coach Travis Green said. “Played a fast game, played in their zone a lot, had a lot of outnumbered rushes.”

Beniers tipped Cale Fleury’s point shot over Ullmark’s glove with his extended skate blade to make it 7-3 at 10:16, and Montour scored a power-play goal from the left circle with a one-timer set up by Vince Dunn at 17:45 for the 7-4 final.

NOTES: Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson left the game after a hit into the boards by Montour at 5:55 of the second period and did not return due to an upper-body injury. Green did not have an update after the game and said, “We’ll know more tomorrow.” … Seattle forward Jaden Schwartz left the game with 45 seconds left in the first period after Tolvanen hit Cousins into the boards and Cousins’ skate hit Schwartz in the face. Lambert said Schwartz is being evaluated and that, “It could have been worse, I guess, but like I say, he’s getting evaluated.”