Ottawa Senators Beat Utah 3-1 To Move Into Top Three In Atlantic For First Time In Three Months

For the first time over three months, the Ottawa Senators have moved into the top three in the Atlantic Division. The Senators pulled off another weekend sweep, defeating the Utah Hockey Club 3-1. The win was a Canadian Tire Centre encore to their 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The last time the Sens were in the top three was October 24 when they stood second after a 4-2 start.

Leevi Merilainen made 34 saves for the win over Hockey Club on Sunday, while all three of Ottawa's scorers shook off significant slumps. Ridly Greig's goal was his first in 12 games to open the scoring in the second period.

Claude Giroux got the game-winner, snapping a 1-1 tie in the third and a personal 14-game goalless drought.

Brady Tkachuk scored his first goal in 11 games to put the game away, snuffing out any Utah hopes of a comeback. It was the 181st goal of his career, moving him past Dany Heatley as the Senators fifth-best goal scorer of all time.

Merilainen is now 5-1-1 in his past seven starts. Anton Forsberg has allowed just six goals in his past four starts. So with Linus Ullmark looking more and more ready to return from a back injury, it will be fascinating to see what the team decides to do.

After Josh Norris fell on his chin during the Rangers game last week, the club thought he would be out for the weekend. Whatever his issue was from falling face first on the ice, it needed only five days to get past.

Giroux and Stutzle each finished the night with two point efforts. Clayton Keller had the lone goal for Utah, the team that shall remain nameless. They learned yesterday that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected six of the names the team filed under intent-to-use applications back in April.

The Senators don't play again until Thursday night when they host the Washington Capitals.