Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzle has a goal and 2 assists, Senators beat Canadiens 6-2

Brady Tkachuk, Rourke Chartier, Vladimir Tarasenko, Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly also scored for Ottawa. The Senators won for the second time in eight games to improve to 16-24-0.

Ottawa responded after interim coach Jacques Martin challenged the team after a 7-4 loss to Colorado on Tuesday night, saying he needed a better effort and more determination from some people.

“I thought it was a really good effort for 60 minutes,” Martin said. “I thought we played on our toes. What I like is, the last couple of games, I like the amount of time we’re spending in the offensive zone. I think it’s a step in the right direction.”

Cole Caufield and Michael Pezzetta scored for Montreal. Coming off a 3-2 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday night, the Canadiens dropped to 19-19-7.

Cayden Primeau made 32 saves for Montreal.

Montreal, playing its ninth back-to-back, has struggled this season on the tail end of those back-to-backs with a 1-8-0 record.

“We’ve had a tough schedule here,” Caufield said. “Playing back-to-back is tough, but at the end of the day the league doesn’t care and we’ve got to be ready for those things.”

Leading 4-1 to open the third, the Senators didn’t take long to make this one look ugly.

After a turnover at center ice, Stutzle broke in and made a nice drop pass to Joseph for his seventh of the season.

“I haven’t been playing the way I want to play,” Stutzle said. “The last three games, I think I’ve got my confidence back. I think the whole group, I mean, we’re getting pucks to the net, we’ve got guys on the goalie and it makes the job easier.”

Kelly added his empty-netter when the Canadiens pulled Primeau with over seven minutes remaining.

Pezzetta made it 6-2 by winning a battle for the puck in front late in the third.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At Boston on Saturday night.

Senators: Host Winnipeg on Saturday.

OTT leads series 1-0