Batherson’s hat trick, scorching power play, and more: 3 reasons why Ottawa Senators won 5-1 over Anaheim Ducks

The Ottawa Senators got a big 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday night. Drake Batherson led the way for the Ottawa Senators with a hat trick, with Noah Gregor and Brady Tkachuk adding the other tallies. Cutter Gauthier got the Ducks on the board at 12:42 of the third, breaking the shutout to make the game 5-1.

Here’s a look at the three main reasons why the Ottawa Senators defeated the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.

3 reasons why Ottawa Senators won over Anaheim Ducks

#3 Linus Ullmark was sharp

Ottawa Senators netminder Linus Ullmark narrowly missed out on a shutout, stopping 31 of 32 shots on the night. Despite the high shot count, Ullmark wasn’t overly tested. He made solid saves when he had to, keeping the Duck off the board.

With the Senators opening up a 3-0 lead in the first, Ullmark had plenty of offensive support to work with. That confidence allowed Ullmark to get a big win at home.

#2 The power play was huge

One of the biggest stories of the night was the Ottawa Senators’ power play. The Sens scored three power play tallies, two by Batherson, going 3-for-5 on the night.

The Senators entered Wednesday night’s matchup with the 6th-ranked power play in the league. Ottawa’s 25.8% power play rate got a significant boost with the three power play tallies on the night.

It’s also worth pointing out that the Sens’ penalty kill also did its part. The Senators were perfect on the night, going 5-for-5 shorthanded. The overall special teams success bodes well as the Senators are looking to get back into the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division.

#1 Drake Batherson’s hat trick

Drake Batherson ran wild on Wednesday night, scoring three straight goals to open up a 4-0 lead early in the second period. Notably, two of Batherson’s goals came on the power play. He ended the night with four points (3G, 1A), adding to his impressive totals. With 32 points in 28 games after Wednesday night’s tilt, Batherson is halfway to his career high of 66 points.

At this rate, Batherson could eclipse his career highs by the end of the season. Considering he scored 28 goals last season, Batherson could be on track to break the 30-goal milestone.

With the win, the Senators moved to within two points of the fourth-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic. However, the Sens will face a tough challenge in their next game against the Carolina Hurricanes, as Ottawa looks to leapfrog the Bolts.