Rookie Marcus Hogberg solid in net as Senators edge Coyotes 3-2

Feb 13, 2020 | 7:27 PM

OTTAWA — Marcus Hogberg made 32 saves as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 Thursday night.

Ottawa snapped a six-game winless streak (0-4-2) and a four-game winless streak on home ice (0-2-2) with the win.

Vladislav Namestnikov, Brady Tkachuk and Nick Paul scored for the Senators (19-27-11) in front of 9,762 fans at Canadian Tire Centre as Ottawa played the first of a season-high six game home stand.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jordan Oesterle scored for the Coyotes (28-24-8). Antti Raanta stopped 28 shots.

Arizona wrapped up its four-game road trip Thursday with a 1-2-1 record. The Coyotes are in a heated playoff race in the Pacific Division and hope to gain ground on Calgary and Vegas.

Hogberg started off the third period with two big saves on Lawson Crouse to preserve Ottawa’s 2-1 lead.

Paul then gave the Senators a two-goal lead as Raanta got a piece of his snapshot, but it got past the Arizona goalie and dropped into the net.

The Coyotes battled back as Oesterle beat Hogberg five-hole two minutes later.

Mark Borowiecki was injured as the play developed as he collided near the Senators bench and hobbled off the ice.

Hogberg was spectacular for Ottawa in the second period, making great saves on Vinnie Hinostroza and Nick Schmaltz. Arizona was finally able to beat him with a power-play goal late in the period.

Ekman-Larsson took a feed from Taylor Hall and put a shot through traffic that took a bounce off Namestnikov on its way to the net.

The Senators got the start they were looking for as they took a 2-0 first period lead.

Ottawa opened the scoring just 2:50 into the first period as Drake Batherson chased down a dumped puck and dropped a pass back to Namestnikov who beat Raanta from in close.

Tkachuk made it 2-0 as he tipped Thomas Chabot’s point shot for his 17th of the season.

Notes: Ottawa’s Tyler Ennis played in his 600th career game. … Borowiecki returned to the lineup after missing the last two games for the birth of his son Miles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2020.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press