Claude Giroux collected two goals and an assist and Anton Forsberg made 28 saves to fuel the host Ottawa Senators to a 5-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
The multi-point performance was the third in as many games for Giroux. He has four goals and as many assists during his four-game point streak.
Forsberg improved to 5-0-0 in his career versus Montreal. He turned aside all four shots he faced in the third period to secure his second shutout of the season and third career. Forsberg made 22 saves in Ottawa’s 4-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 3.
Alex DeBrincat opened the scoring and Mathieu Joseph and Derick Brassard also tallied to send the Senators to their third straight victory and hand the Canadiens their third consecutive loss (0-2-1).
Ottawa will look to complete a home-and-home sweep on Tuesday when the teams meet in Montreal.
Giroux ignited the Senators’ scoring frenzy in the second period by lofting a lead pass out of his defensive zone. DeBrincat caught up to the puck and wristed a shot from the right circle that beat Sam Montembeault (31 saves) inside the far post just 22 seconds into the period.
The goal was the 16th of the season for DeBrincat, who notched three assists in Ottawa’s 3-2 victory over Montreal on Dec. 14.
The Senators doubled the advantage at 7:59 of the second period after Ridly Greig’s soft pass through traffic found Giroux at the back post for an easy conversion.
Giroux attempted to return the favor to Greig 93 seconds later, however the former’s attempted backhanded feed caromed off the skate of Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj and into the net. The goal was Giroux’s 19th of the season.
Joseph and Brassard each scored late in the third period to seal the win.
Montreal’s Owen Beck blocked a shot and had a minus-1 rating in his NHL debut. The 18-year-old was recalled from the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League on an emergency basis on Friday.
–Field Level Media
