Senators complete dramatic comeback in shootout vs. Bruins

The Ottawa Senators pulled off a dramatic comeback 6-5 win Saturday against the Boston Bruins in the shootout.

Senators star Tim Stutzle netted the only goal of the shootout. Rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen was perfect, stopping all three of the Bruins' chances.

Stutzle showed off his patience on his winning tally.

Ottawa scored twice with the goaltender pulled to send the contest to overtime. Josh Norris tied the game with 12 seconds left after defenseman Jake Sanderson made two key blocks to prevent the Bruins from scoring on the empty net.

The Senators tied the Bruins in the standings at 50 points by picking up the extra point. But Ottawa jumps into the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot because the team has played two fewer games than Boston.

"I don't think we scored one (six-on-five goal) in a long time, and now we get two," Stutzle told Sportsnet's Shawn McKenzie. "I think a well-deserved win for the whole group."

Merilainen improves to 5-2-1 this season. The 22-year-old called the contest one of the most thrilling of his young career.

"Probably the greatest comeback I've ever been a part of for sure," he said, according to TSN's Claire Hanna. "Such a crazy game."

Captain Brady Tkachuk said he felt the crowd in the Canadian Tire Centre hit another level.

"I've never been in a playoff game before, but I feel like that emulated pretty solidly tonight," Tkachuk said, according to The Athletic's Julian McKenzie. "There's been some pretty awesome atmospheres. But I don't know, this one just felt different. It felt like a preview of what's to come."