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Ottawa Senators defenceman Carter Yakemchuk delivered the decisive moment on Thursday night, scoring a power-play goal to give the Senators a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 21-year-old fired a heavy one-timer through traffic from the point, providing the game-winning goal and a much-needed boost for a team already dealing with a growing injury list.
“I was just trying to get one through from the point,” Yakemchuk said after the game. “Claude Giroux made a nice pass and I just whacked one and lucky it went in.”
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Yakemchuk Earns His Moment Despite Uneven Night
Head coach Travis Green was pleased to see Yakemchuk come through in a key moment. However, Green acknowledged the young defenceman had not been at his sharpest throughout the game.
“He fumbled the puck a few times on the power play,” Green said. “Probably wasn’t quite at his best, but sometimes you’ve just got to stick with those guys a little bit.” Green added that young players will have strong nights and difficult nights, and that patience is part of the process.
Despite the uneven performance, Ottawa’s coaching staff kept Yakemchuk on the ice. Green credited assistant coach Ben Sexton for maintaining confidence in the young defenceman. “Good players find ways to come up with key moments in a game, and he definitely did,” Green said.
Yakemchuk is working to secure a regular spot in the Senators’ lineup. He played only four regular-season games and one playoff game last season. Green noted that the defenceman has shown improvement. “He looks a little more comfortable, he’s gotten a little better,” Green said. “He’s worked hard over the summer. He’s still young. That’s just a young guy trying to make the league.”
Stanley Makes His NHL Debut
Yakemchuk was not the only player making an impression on Thursday. Hoyt Stanley made his NHL debut after receiving a call-up from the AHL’s Belleville club.
Stanley admitted nerves played a role early in the game. “I felt good, obviously pretty nervous,” he said. “The coaches came up to me and said, ‘Play your game, play hard, simple, don’t be too nervous.’ Easier said than done.”
Injury Concerns Mount for Ottawa
The Senators’ injury situation worsened during the game. Ottawa already entered the night without Jake Sanderson, Artem Zub and Andre Burakovsky. Now, William Eklund could join that list.
Eklund left the game early in the first period after taking a hit from Flyers defenceman Simon Benoit. He needed assistance to leave the ice and could not put weight on his left leg. Green had no update on Eklund’s condition after the game.
The Senators had high expectations for Eklund heading into the season. Ottawa acquired the left-winger from the San Jose Sharks during the off-season, and he started Thursday’s game on the top line alongside Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson.
With Sanderson and Zub still sidelined, the team needs its depth players to step up. Yakemchuk’s power-play winner showed he can rise to that challenge, even on a night when his overall game was inconsistent.
Ottawa returns to action on Saturday when it hosts the Nashville Predators.
