A Saad Performance: Ottawa Senators Blanked 4-0 In St. Louis Friday Night

The new year is off to a rocky start for the Ottawa Senators.

After falling 4-2 to the Dallas Stars on Thursday night, a game that Brady Tkachuk called "embarrassing," the Senators were flat again on Friday night in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Brandon Saad had a natural hat trick, while Jordan Binnington earned the shutout for the Blues, who avenged an 8-1 loss to Ottawa earlier this season.

This was the first start for Sens goalie Anton Forsberg in nearly a month, so some rust was to be expected. He made 21 saves, but conceded three goals on the Blues' first 12 shots.

Thomas Chabot had a rough first period, factoring in on both St. Louis goals. The first was a giveaway that led directly to a breakaway goal. Then, when a pass skipped past Nick Jensen for another Blues' breakaway, Chabot appeared to stop skating on the backcheck.

On the positive side, Chabot briefly redeemed himself with a fierce slapshot goal to make it 3-1, but it was pulled off the board. Nick Cousins was way offside in the moments prior to the goal.

Saad's natural hat trick was the 12th in the NHL this season, tied with 1991-92 for the most at this stage of a campaign in league history

With reports of a flu bug making the rounds in the Ottawa locker room, the Sens have a welcome four days to regroup before their next game. They're in Detroit against the Red Wings on Tuesday to close out that nine-game road trip.