Giroux scores twice as Senators scorch Canadiens 5-0

OTTAWA, Ontario -- — Claude Giroux scored twice and added an assist as the Ottawa Senators beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 on Saturday night.

With the win the Senators are riding a three-game winning streak.

Ottawa was coming off a 6-2 win over Toronto on Friday night. The Senators are now 6-2-0 in their last eight at home and are a perfect 24-for-24 on the penalty kill through that span.

Alex DeBrincat, Mathieu Joseph and Derick Brassard also scored for Ottawa, while Anton Forsberg was solid making 28 saves.

Sam Montembeault stopped 31 shots for the Canadiens.

This was the second of four meetings between the two teams with the Senators leading the series 2-0.

Trailing 3-0 the Canadiens looked to get back in the game, but were unable to beat Forsberg despite having two power-play opportunities. Joseph added an empty-net goal with just over one minute in regulation leading the numerous Montreal fans on hand to head for the exit and Brassard made it 5-0.

Scoreless after the first period the Senators took control in the second scoring three unanswered goals.

DeBrincat picked up his 16th of the season scoring on a 2-on-1 to open the scoring just 22 seconds into the period.

Giroux then scored a pair of goals, the first coming off a great feed from rookie Ridly Greig on the power play. He then made it 3-0 banking a shot off Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj.

NOTES

Ottawa LW Tyler Motte returned to the lineup after missing the last 15 games. LW Austin Watson was a healthy scratch. Montreal D Chris Wideman was a healthy scratch for the Canadiens with Johnathan Kovacevic taking his place.

UP NEXT

Canadiens: Host Ottawa on Tuesday night in the back end of the home-and-home set to open a four-game homestand.

Senators: At Montreal on Tuesday night.

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