Ottawa, Ontario (WGR 550) - Momentum did not exist for the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday evening.
A day after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime on home ice, the Sabres had, yet, another chance to start stacking some wins together. It was to no avail, as the Ottawa Senators stomped them to the tune of a 5-1 final at Canadian Tire Centre in Canada's capital.
About seven minutes into the affair, the Senators drew first blood.
With captain Kyle Okposo in the penalty box, Ottawa defenseman Jacob Chychrun made the Sabres pay on the power play. His seventh goal of the season made it 1-0, Senators.
Ottawa made it 2-0 later in the frame when Zack MacEwen wound up from the right wing circle and fired home his first goal of the season.
The blue and gold were in desperate need of a spark before period's end, and they found one in the form of a Tage Thompson goal with seconds to spare on the clock. It was the forward's 10th goal of the season, and made it a 2-1 Ottawa lead.
The Senators tacked on two more goals in the middle stanza, and extended its lead to its widest at 4-1. Forwards Dominik Kubalik and Mark Kastelic did the damage for Ottawa.
The Sabres had little-to-no response in the third period, and the Senators continued to add on to their gaudy total.
Defenseman Artem Zub put the finishing touches on the scoring with an empty-net goal. The goal came directly after a neutral zone turnover by Sabres defenseman Owen Power.
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SCORING RECAP:
First Period:
BUF: 19:46 - Tage Thompson (10) (Jeff Skinner)
OTT: 6:51 - Jacob Chychrun (7) PPG (Claude Giroux, Jake Sanderson); 12:38 - Zack MacEwen (1) (Jacob Bernard-Docker, Thomas Chabot)
Second Period:
BUF: NONE
OTT: 7:18 - Dominik Kubalik (8) (Ridly Greig, Thomas Chabot); 19:44 - Mark Kastelic (1) (Erik Brannstrom)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
OTT: 15:16 - Artem Zub (3) ENG (Unassisted)
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) Anton Forsberg - OTT
2.) Thomas Chabot - OTT
3.) Erik Brannstrom - OTT
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What's next:
The blue and gold continue their tour of Canada when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night. Puck drop at the Bell Centre is set for just after 7 p.m. EST with all the action taking place on the flagship home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.