OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Brady Tkachuk scored with 11.1 seconds left to give the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
Tkachuk controlled the loose puck in the crease and squeezed it past goalie Ilya Sorokin for the comeback victory.
New York dropped out of a playoff position in the tight Eastern Conference, while Ottawa closed within four points of the Islanders.
Tkachuk and Anders Lee dropped the gloves on the opening
faceoff in a fight between captains. Five minutes later, Ottawa’s Ridly Greig and Brayden Schenn also exchanged punches.
Shane Pinto had a short-handed goal to tie it at 1 for the Senators in the second period, and Warren Foegele sent a backhander past Sorokin 5:12 into the third to even it at 2. James Reimer made 19 saves for the victory.
Rookie Matthew Schaefer opened the scoring for the Islanders early in the second period, and Schenn made it 2-1 at 2:02 of the third.
Schaefer is the second 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history to have 50 points in a season, joining Phil Housley (57 in 1982-83).
Sorokin stopped 23 shots.
Islanders: At Montreal on Saturday night.
Senators: Host Toronto on Saturday night.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
