Senators' Tim Stützle with unreal effort on late game-winner against Sabres

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Claude Giroux: A-

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After Amadio coughed up the puck in the offensive zone, Giroux stole it back in quick order and set up his linemate for what should’ve been the opening goal if not for Ellis’ right pinky toe. Giroux kept rushes alive with timely pokes and one-touch passes, and once walked in for a full-bore clapper in the middle of the slot. The Prime broadcast loved that one. He won all five of his faceoffs and had three shots in 16:17.

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Dylan Cozens: B

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Cozens had a solid north-south game, burning up ice to get in on the forecheck and force turnovers. He showed some good poise upon entry, once button-hooking along the left wall and finding Giroux streaking in for a slot shot in the first. Like Stützle, he went 10-for-11 in draws. He had three recorded giveaways in 16:11 of ice time.

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Stephen Halliday: B

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It was great to see Halliday stick up for Chabot when Sam Carrick wanted a piece of the Sens defenceman after a borderline high-stick in the first. Halliday had a nifty tip on a Chabot point shot in the third and won some board battles. Playing between Hayden Hodgson and Sammy Blais — who each got under six minutes of ice time — on the fourth line, it’s understandably difficult to get into a groove.

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Sammy Blais: B-

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Blais had decent puck touches. He looked like he could’ve handled a bit more responsibility. We’ll see if he remains in the lineup when Ridly Greig (lower body; day-to-day) returns. He had one shot and four hits.

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Hayden Hodgson: C+

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Hodgson skated onto a lob in the neutral zone and sent an easy wrister on net from a bad angle in the first. He crunched Louis Crevier in the second.

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Defencemen

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Jordan Spence: A

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Young defencemen under six feet tall with aspirations of playing professional hockey should study Spence’s methods. He dictates the game with his aggression, not  necessarily overpowering opponents but catching them by surprise with confident pinches in the offensive zone and step ups in the neutral zone. I lost count of how many times he interrupted breakouts and stamped out developing rushes. Spence can stop opponents from advancing any way you like — seal off the wall, tie up a puck carrier, even lay a sturdy hit from time to time, like when he dumped Beck Malenstyn at the red line in the second. And what a block with his chest in gut-check time, inches in front of Ersson.

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Thomas Chabot: A-

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Chabot used his smooth, effortless skating to open up shooting and passing lanes at the point, working extremely well with Spence to create offence from up top (what else is new?). He had his defensive lapses — Jack Quinn toe-dragged him for a high-danger shot in the second — but in the end, it was his offensive instincts that kept the Senators in this one. A crowd of five forming in front of him at the right point, Chabot used it as a screen to whip a pass to Tomasino at the goal mouth ahead of the tying goal. His flubbed clearing attempt led to a huge chance for Buffalo in the dying seconds, but he also blocked a pass in front to potentially save a goal. Chabot finished with a team-high four blocks in 24:18.

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Jake Sanderson: B-

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Elite edge work allowed Sanderson to stay with Jason Zucker as he attempted to juke the Senators’ top defender in the first. When Zucker ultimately fumbled, three hard strides allowed Sanderson to get body position and free up the puck for Stützle to take off on a 3-on-1. Sanderson has had better nights quarterbacking the power play.

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Artem Zub: B-

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Zub didn’t have his best first passes and outlets, a really poor rim in the defensive zone easily intercepted and turned into a Tage Thompson Grade A chance in the first. He had three blocks in 20:58.