THE BREAKDOWN: The Senators score early, and often, in 6-2 win ...

SENATORS 6, SABRES 2

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Better late than never.

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The Ottawa Senators got off to a strong start with five goals in the first period and then got the job finished in a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night at the KeyBank Center.

Captain Brady Tkachuk, Jakob Chychrun, Drake Batherson, Boris Katchouk, Shane Pinto and Artem Zub did the scoring as the Senators extended their winning streak to three straight with only 11 games left on the schedule.

Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo picked up his third straight victory with a 36-save effort as the Senators closed out their season series against the Sabres with a 2-2-0 record.

“I thought we put out a good effort and in the second Korpi saved us a bit for sure,” Pinto told TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson. “If you want to win you need balance and we had good balance, especially with back-to-back games.”

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Joonas Korpisalo of the Ottawa Senators makes the save against Eric Robinson of the Buffalo Sabres during the second period at KeyBank Center on March 27, 2024 in Buffalo. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty Images

The Senators have promised they won’t throw in the towel during the last three weeks of the season and they set the tone in this one. That’s the only approach they can have with the clock winding down on this year.

Not all the news was good, though, as defenceman Thomas Chabot, who has already missed three significant stretches with injuries this season, left the bench after taking only two shifts early in the third period.

Interim coach Jacques Martin told Wilson that “we’ll have an evaluation (on Chabot) tomorrow and see how he is.”

QUICK START

It didn’t take long for the Senators to chase Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from this one.

His teammates were no help whatsoever, but he was pulled after the club scored four goals on 10 shots in a span of six minutes and 12 seconds in the first period to pull out to a 4-0 lead.

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To make matters worse, Tkachuk picked up No. 32 of the season by tipping a shot by Devon Levi with only 49 seconds left in the first to give the club a 5-0 lead heading to the locker room.

Jakob Chychrun of the Ottawa Senators celebrates with Shane Pinto after a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at KeyBank Center on March 27, 2024 in Buffalo. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty Images

That’s the most goals the Senators have scored in a first period this season.

Buffalo coach Don Granato decided he’d seen enough of Luukkonen when Chychrun fired in a blast that Luukkonen had no chance of stopping only 8:49 into the first.

Batherson continued his march towards the first 30-goal season of his career by beating Luukkonen with a backhander on the stick side at 6:01. That was No. 26 for Batherson and he’s having a strong stretch.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk gets tangled up with Bowen Byram and other Buffalo Sabres during a scrum in the second period at KeyBank Center on March 27, 2024 in Buffalo. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty Images

You have to give the fourth line credit because they did get the party started. Picked up on waivers March 8 from the Hawks, Katchouk scored his first with the Senators by tipping a Parker Kelly shot home at 4:56.

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Earlier, Katchouk fired a shot from the circle that Mark Kastelic tipped by Luukkonen and Zub pushed one home for his fourth of the year to open the scoring at 2:37. His last goal came New Year’s Eve against the Sabres and it was his first in 33 games.

“We were ready to go,” said Martin. “We got pucks and people at the net and we took advantage of our opportunities.”

Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabres makes the save against Mark Kastelic of the Ottawa Senators during the first period at KeyBank Center on March 27, 2024 in Buffalo. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty ImagesTHIS ‘N’ THAT

The Sabres refused to go quietly after an ugly first. They pushed the pace in the second period and made life difficult for Ottawa and forced Korpisalo to make some big stops. It was a good response by the Sabres after they were booed off the ice following the first period, and if not for Korpisalo, it could have been closer after 40 minutes … Not sure why, but Ottawa’s Ridly Greig and Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin were both assessed four minutes for a scrum in the corner. Both received roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Didn’t make a lot of sense …  Buffalo’s Connor Clifton closed the gap to 5-2 by firing it past Korpisalo at 13:07 on the stick side. He should have that one … Pinto recorded three assists in the first and then put this one away into an empty net with 3:17 left in the third. It was his first career four-point effort … J.J. Peterka beat Korpisalo on the 14th shot he faced to cut Ottawa’s lead to 5-1. That came at 2:54 of the second and beat Korpisalo high on the glove side. We’ve seen a few of those this season.

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Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres reacts after being hit in the face with a stick during the second period. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty ImagesTHE FINAL BUZZER

The five goals in the first period by Ottawa were one short of the franchise record of six on March 21, 2000 against the Atlanta Thrashers. The last time the Senators scored five goals in one period was Jan. 8, 2004 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Martin was behind the bench for both of those games … The four goals only 8:49 into the game were the fastest four goals from the start of a game in franchise history. “It started with our fourth line getting the first two shifts and we were able to capitalize on our opportunities,” Batherson told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas after the first … Former 67’s forward Jack Quinn returned to the Sabres for the first time in two months. He underwent surgery for a lower-body injury and he missed 23 games as a result of the ailment. “He’s effective in any situation because he’s an intelligent player,” said Granato. “He is one of our smartest players. Has a feel for the game, for situations, for depth and reads and everything that comes with it. He’s got a lot of hockey sense.”

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Jack Quinn of the Buffalo Sabres skates with the puck as Dominik Kubalik of the Ottawa Senators defends during the first period. Photo by Kevin Hoffman /Getty Images

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