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Stutzle scores winning goal as Senators win first global series game

*Photo from the San Diego Union Tribune*
   Welcome to Sweden, global series. Brady Tkachuk scored two goals, Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, and the Ottawa Senators defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 in overtime on Thursday in Stockholm.

   In game one of 4 total in Sweden, it was the Senators who came out on top in front of a packed house in Stockholm. Josh Norris and Jake Sanderson had a goal and an assist, while Drake Batherson and Vladimir Tarasenko had two assists in addition to Tkachuk and Stutzle's multi point games.

   Tkachuk said after the game that "Of course, there's things we need to clean up but I think it showed a little maturity there in the third period because of course the second didn't go our way so just simplify, play the right way and I wouldn't say just get it to overtime but just play the right way and do it one shift at a time. I was proud of the maturity that we showed there in the third and of course it was an unreal play to finish it off."

   Starting the scoring for the Senators was Tkachuk, who gave them a 1-0 lead 5:57 into the game on his 9th goal of the season. Tkachuk scored again 4 minutes later, doubling the lead to 2-0 with assists from Stutzle and Claude Giroux. At the 13:09 mark of the period, Sanderson scored to make it 3-0 Senators after one period.

   Norris scored 1:18 into the second period to make it 4-0 Ottawa. Lucas Raymond then scored to get Detroit on the board, making it 4-1. David Perron, Alex DeBrincat, and Shayne Gostisbehere then scored to tie the game 4-4. The game went to overtime, where Stutzle scored with two seconds left to give the Senators the win.

   Ottawa head coach DJ Smith said "I thought we come out, looked maybe a little nervous in the first period. I thought we scored easy, we put it in the net but I don't think it was indicative maybe of the play, and that kind of lulled us to sleep. We didn't forecheck in the second period, we looked like we just wanted to hang on to it and kill the clock and clearly we got burned, but I'm proud of the guys, between periods, to regroup, come back out and stick with it."

   Starting in net for the Senators was Joonas Korpisalo, who was able to get the win as his record improved to 5-4-0. Korpisalo stopped 37 of the 41 shots he faced from the Red Wings, giving him a .902 save percentage.

   Getting the start for the Red Wings was James Reimer, with the veteran's record dropping to 2-2-2 with the overtime loss. Reimer turned aside 29 out of the 34 shots on goal the Senators had, recording a .853 save percentage.

   Raymond said after the game that "It's special scoring at home but it would have been a lot better with a win here tonight. The point is obviously huge especially in this league. It stings coming back from 4-0. We're feeling really good but we spent a lot of time in the penalty box which hurt us a lot."

   The Red Wings play again on Friday in Sweden against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Alex Lyon starting in net. The Senators play in Sweden on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild, with Korpisalo projected to start.

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