Senators defenceman Sergei Gonchar (left) is congratulated by teammate Erik Karlsson on his eventual game-winning goal against the Capitals during third period action in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. (Errol McGihon/QMI Agency)
OTTAWA - It wasn’t pretty, but it ended beautifully for the Senators.
Sergei Gonchar’s first goal of the season on the power play with only 2:30 left in the game propelled the Senators to a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over the Washington Capitals Tuesday night in front of 19,267 at Scotiabank Place.
Gonchar’s bullet from the point beat screened Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth with Joel Ward in the box. The victory halted the Senators’ two-game losing streak and came in a game where it didn’t look like they had much of a chance of winning.
Playing without top centre Jason Spezza, who was scratched because of a undisclosed upper body injury, the Senators showed moxie by erasing a two-goal deficit against the Caps on the strength of goals by Milan Michalek and Jim O’Brien.
