Senators rally with three-goal third period to beat Flames

Ottawa scores four unanswered goals to overcome early deficit and keep playoff hopes alive

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Ottawa Senators overcame an early 1-0 deficit with four unanswered goals, including three in the third period, to defeat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Thursday. Dylan Cozens broke a 1-1 tie early in the final frame, and Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto added empty-net goals to seal the victory for the Senators, who are now four points back of the Boston Bruins for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Why it matters

The Senators' victory keeps them in the playoff hunt in the tight Eastern Conference race, while the Flames' fourth straight loss further damages their fading postseason aspirations in the West. This game highlighted the Senators' resilience and offensive firepower, as well as the Flames' recent struggles to generate offense and protect leads.

The details

Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark made 19 saves to earn the win, extending his personal point streak to 8-0-3. The Senators also made a couple of trades prior to the game, acquiring forward Warren Foegele from the Los Angeles Kings and dealing the injured David Perron to the Detroit Red Wings. Calgary defenseman Olli Maatta, acquired in a recent trade, did not suit up for the game.

  • The Senators scored three unanswered goals in the third period to rally for the victory.
  • Cozens' go-ahead goal came at the 6:33 mark of the final frame.
  • Stutzle and Pinto added empty-net goals late to seal the win.

The players

Dylan Cozens

Scored the game-winning goal for the Senators in the third period.

Linus Ullmark

Ottawa goaltender who made 19 saves and extended his personal point streak to 8-0-3.

Martin Pospisil

Scored the opening goal for the Flames in the first period, his first goal since February 2025.

Devin Cooley

Calgary goaltender who made 33 saves in a strong performance despite the loss.

Tim Stutzle

Senators forward who scored an empty-net goal and extended his point-scoring streak to 11 games.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We showed a lot of character to come back from an early deficit and get this crucial win. The guys really stepped up in the third period to take control of the game.”

— D.J. Smith, Ottawa Senators Head Coach (The Rink Live)

“It's a tough stretch for us right now, but we have to find a way to start winning games again if we want to stay in the playoff race. We had our chances tonight, but couldn't capitalize when it mattered most.”

— Darryl Sutter, Calgary Flames Head Coach (The Rink Live)

What’s next

The Senators will look to build on this momentum as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Flames will need to quickly turn things around to keep their postseason hopes alive.

The takeaway

This game showcased the Senators' resilience and offensive firepower, as they were able to overcome an early deficit with a dominant third-period performance. Meanwhile, the Flames' struggles to protect leads and generate consistent offense have them falling further out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference.