Sanheim leads Flyers to overtime victory over Senators

PHILADELPHIA — Travis Sanheim scored 1:35 into overtime and also had an assist to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.

Sanheim netted the game-winner on a wrister from close range after being set up by Cam Atkinson in the 3-on-3 session.

“It’s just confidence right now,” said Sanheim, who has upped his season total to 10 points with five in the last three contests. “I’ll take those, enjoy them, especially when they’re game-winners.”

Claude Giroux, Oskar Lindblom and Joel Farabee also scored for the Flyers, who have won four of five. Giroux moved into a tie for second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.

Backup goalie Martin Jones started in place of Carter Hart, who missed the contest due to a non-COVID illness, and made 28 saves.

Artem Zub, Tim Stutzle and Alex Formenton scored for the Senators. Anton Forsberg had 34 saves.

“I thought it was a heck of an effort,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. “We’re in every game right now.”

Zub’s slap shot from the point through a screen in front gave the Senators a 3-2 lead with 6:17 left in regulation. Farabee, returning to Philadelphia’s lineup after a seven-game absence due to a shoulder injury, evened the score just 52 seconds later with an unlikely goal when he threw the puck toward the net from the side boards and it got past Forsberg.

“Got a little lucky but when you’re doing the right things bounces like that definitely help,” Farabee said.

Ottawa tied the game at 2 with the only two goals in the second. Stutzle got the Senators on the board by shooting high over Jones’ right shoulder from a sharp angle 2:09 into the period. Formenton tied it with a short-handed tally 1:13 later after a turnover by Philadelphia defenseman Keith Yandle led to a breakaway.

The Senators also were dominating the physical play, with Brady Tkachuk delivering big hits on Lindblom and Scott Laughton during one shift early in the period. After Philadelphia’s Zack MacEwen and Dillon Heatherington fought in a spirited duel with nine minutes left in the period, the Flyers picked up their play. But Forsberg stopped several quality chances, especially during a Philadelphia power play late in the period to keep the game knotted at 2.

The Flyers played a strong first period and went to the dressing room ahead 2-0 after goals by Giroux and Lindblom, who got his third of the season on a slap shot from above the circle that deflected off Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot and past Forsberg.

“Our start was unreal,” Philadelphia interim coach Mike Yeo said.

The Senators couldn’t generate anything offensively in the early going and didn’t get their first shot on goal until there was 6:21 remaining in the first.

GIROUX TO SECOND

Giroux matched Bill Barber’s career point total of 883 points with his 11th goal and team-leading 25th point of the season 4:19 into the contest.

“What a great career he had,” Giroux said of Barber. “To be able to tie him right now is obviously a great honor.”

Lindblom beautifully set up the Flyers’ captain with a backhanded pass from behind the net, and Giroux finished with a wrister from the slot that Forsberg never saw.

“I knew he was there, but I was still guessing a little bit where he was,” Lindblom said. “He doesn’t miss those. It hit his tape and so that’s a goal.”

Bobby Clarke is the Flyers’ all-time leader in points with 1,210.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Senators: D NIkita Zaitsev (lower body) will be out four weeks after being injured in the first period of Thursday’s 2-1 loss at Tampa Bay. He was replaced by Jacob Bernard-Docker.

Flyers: Max Willman and Morgan Frost didn’t play due to health and safety protocols. Frost missed his second full game after getting pulled in the first period of Tuesday’s 6-1 win over New Jersey.

UP NEXT

Senators: After their originally scheduled game against Boston on Sunday was postponed due to health and safety protocols involving the Bruins, will host St. Louis on Tuesday night.

Flyers: Host Washington on Tuesday night.