The Canadian Press
Lisa Wallace
OTTAWA–Nick Paul hopes he’s played his last game in the minors.
Paul had the first multi-point game of his NHL career with two goals and an assist as the Ottawa Senators beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 yesterday.
Paul, drafted 101st overall in 2013 by the Dallas Stars, spent an early part of the season with American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators before being recalled Oct. 14. He has four points in six games since joining Ottawa.
“This is what I’ve been working for,” said Paul, who has played 61 games over five seasons with Ottawa.
“This is what I’ve been doing all summer, what I’ve been picturing so it’s nice to finally go that way and get some confidence.”
Senators coach D.J. Smith added: “He works, he works in practice, he’s been humbled and been through waivers a bunch of times so it’s hard not to pull for a guy like that. He’s doing everything he can to stay in the league so certainly he’s been good for us.”
Brady Tkachuk had a three-point night as well with a goal and two helpers while Connor Brown and Anthony Duclair also scored for the Senators (3-7-1). Craig Anderson stopped 34 shots.
Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc scored for the Sharks (4-7-1), who have struggled on their five-game road trip.
San Jose has gone 1-2-1 and will wrap up the trip tomorrow in Boston.
Aaron Dell allowed four goals on 22 shots and was replaced by Martin Jones for the third period. Jones allowed one goal on eight shots.
The game marked Erik Karlsson’s second in Ottawa since being traded to the Sharks in Sept. 2018.
He had a less than stellar outing finishing minus-4 in front of the second smallest crowd of the season at 9,740.
Duclair gave the Senators a 5-2 lead late in the third as he used his speed to break in and beat Jones off his backhand.
The Senators have the next five days off before they head to Boston to take on the Bruins Saturday night.
In other NHL action yesterday, Florida pasted Edmonton 6-2; St. Louis nipped Detroit 5-4 (OT); the N.Y. Islanders downed Philadelphia 5-3; Boston dispatched the N.Y. Rangers 7-4; Chicago dumped L.A. 5-1; and Vegas beat Anaheim 5-2.
