Music: {allcanada} Hammond, Senators shut out Ducks, win third straight

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

{allcanada} Hammond, Senators shut out Ducks, win third straight

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Rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond is doing his best to keep the Ottawa Senators' playoff hopes alive.

Hammond made 25 saves Wednesday for his first NHL shutout and third victory in as many games, and the Senators defeated the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks 3-0.

The Senators turned to Hammond, a 27-year-old who had never started an NHL game until last week, after injuries sidelined starter Craig Anderson and backup Robin Lehner. He responded by leading Ottawa to home victories against the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers before helping the Senators win the opener of a five-game road trip.

Hammond has made saves on 88 of 91 shots in the three victories.

Erik Condra, Mika Zibanejad and Kyle Turris scored for Ottawa (25-23-10), which moved within seven points of the Boston Bruins, who hold the second Eastern Conference wild-card position for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Senators have two games in hand on the Bruins.

John Gibson made 31 saves for the Ducks, who have a 10-point lead on the second-place Vancouver Canucks in their division.

Ryan Kesler had a chance to give the Ducks the lead 9:35 into the game, but Hammond robbed him at the right post. Ottawa then took the lead for good less than 90 seconds later when Eric Gryba stepped into a slap shot at the right point that hit Condra's leg and deflected into the net at 10:57. It was Condra's seventh goal and extended his point streak to five games.

Zibanejad got to the front of the net and made it 2-0 for the Senators at 3:23 of the second period. He got position on Kesler in front and popped in the rebound of Mike Hoffman's bad-angled shot from the left circle for his 15th goal.

Hammond made perhaps his best stop of the night 7:20 into the third period when he got his left pad on Corey Perry's wide-open shot from well inside the right circle. He also stopped Hampus Lindholm from the slot and made a left-pad save on Andrew Cogliano's rebound attempt with eight minutes remaining.

Turris hit the empty net with 6.4 seconds remaining.

Forward Jiri Sekac, acquired by the Ducks in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, made his debut with Anaheim. He had one shot on goal and was minus-1 in 14:35.

Linesman Steve Miller left the game at 14:25 of the first period after being hit in the face with a stick after a faceoff. The game continued with three officials until Miller returned for the start of the third period.

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