Ducks blown out at Ottawa for fourth consecutive loss

NHL HIGHLIGHTS

Ducks goaltender John Gibson sits in his crease after allowing a third goal to Ottawa in the first period on Wednesday. Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press via AP

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The Associated Press

Drake Batherson had three goals and an assist, and the Ottawa Senators beat the Ducks 5-1 Wednesday night for their third win in four games.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, and Noah Gregor also scored for the host Senators. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots.

Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks, and John Gibson finished with 29 saves. Anaheim has lost four straight.

Gregor opened the scoring for the Senators at 2:55 of the first period, scoring on their first shot of the game.

Ottawa then capitalized on a lengthy two-man advantage when Batherson scored his 100th career goal. The puck disappeared under a sprawling Gibson. It was declared a goal after a review.

Batherson made it 3-0 with his second power-play goal of the night and completed the hat trick midway through the second.

He picked up an assist on Tkachuk’s power-play goal midway through the third to make it 5-0.

Gauthier spoiled Ullmark’s shutout bid with his fourth of the season with 7:18 remaining.

Special teams were the difference as Ottawa went 3 for 5 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

Already down 1-0 and killing a holding penalty, the Ducks took a delay of game minor to give Ottawa a two-man advantage for almost two minutes. The Senators capitalized for a 2-0 lead.

The Ducks have struggled at home (5-9-1), but were 4-0-2 in their previous six on the road.

RANGERS 3, SABRES 2: Adam Fox had a goal and two assist and New York picked up a win at Buffalo.

Mika Zibanejad got his 300th career goal and Reilly Smith also scored for the Rangers, who snapped a two-game skid and got their third win in 11 games.

Owen Power and Tage Thompson scored for the Sabres, who have lost eight straight (0-5-3).

Fox had assists on Zibanejad’s power-play goal at 7:01 of the first period and Smith’s goal with 6:31 left in the third period that made it 2-0. After Power pulled the Sabres within one less than two minutes later, Fox’s empty-netter with 2:02 remaining sealed the win.

Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller did not play in the third period due to an upper-body injury.