Buffalo Sabres vs Ottawa Senators Box Score on Dec 23, 2019

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored two goals and the Ottawa Senators defeated the visiting Buffalo Sabres 3-1 on Monday night.

Brady Tkachuk had an empty-net goal and two assists, and Craig Anderson made 43 saves for the Senators in his first game since Dec. 7, when he suffered a lower-body injury against Philadelphia.

Zemgus Girgensons scored for Buffalo, which is 1-3-1 in its past five games, and Linus Ullmark made 27 saves.

Sabres captain Jack Eichel failed to record a point for the first time since Nov. 14. The NHL ruled that his point streak officially ended on Thursday when he sat out the Sabres' loss to the Philadelphia Flyers due to an upper-body injury. He returned to record an assist Saturday in Buffalo's win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Eichel was bidding to become the first player in Sabres history to have a point in 19 consecutive games played.

Ottawa is 5-2-3 in its past 10 games following a five-game losing streak.

Ottawa took a 1-0 lead at 19:06 of the first period when Tkachuk controlled the puck in the corner and passed to Pageau, who blasted a one-timer past Ullmark from the right circle.

The Sabres tied it at 15:12 of the second period when Evan Rodrigues sent a backhand pass toward the net and a driving Girgensons deflected the puck over Anderson's right shoulder.

Pageau regained the lead for Ottawa at 5:16 of the third period. His initial shot on the rush was stopped by Ullmark, but Pageau backhanded the loose puck home for his 18th goal of the season.

Tkachuk was awarded a goal when he was pulled down by Buffalo's Henri Jokiharju while skating toward an empty Sabres' net at 18:35 of the third period.

Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play.

Buffalo's Kyle Okposo was a late scratch due to illness.

--Field Level Media