Sturm's hat-trick leads Bruins over Sens

Canadian Press
12/19/2006 10:43:56 PM

OTTAWA (CP) - Marco Sturm scored three goals while Marc Savard had two goals and two assists Tuesday night as the Boston Bruins beat the Ottawa Senators 7-2 at Scotiabank Place.

Glen Murray and Paul Mara had the other goals and Patrice Bergeron collect five assists for the Bruins (16-13-2), who won for just the second time in their past five games.

Christoph Schubert and Antoine Vermette had the goals for the Senators (17-17-1) as they lost for the fifth time in their past seven games.

It was Bruins captain Zdeno Chara's first game in Ottawa since leaving the Senators last off-season for a five-year, US$37.5 million contract. Chara was booed every time he touched the puck.

Martin Gerber started the third period in goal for the Senators after starter Ray Emery surrendered five goals on 20 shots through the first two periods. Gerber faced six shots in the final period, stopping four.

Tim Thomas went the distance in the Boston goal, making 35 saves.

The Bruins dominated the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Senators 13-7 and outscoring them 3-0.

Sturm scored his first midway through the period after Senators forward Mike Fisher coughed up the puck in his own zone to Stanislav Chistov, who then dished off to Sturm.

A little more than a minute later, Murray scored on a rush that started when Thomas made a huge stop at the other end of the ice.

Savard added a power play goal with 64 seconds to play in the first.

Sturm scored the first two goals of the second period despite Boston being outshot 17-7 in the frame. Sturm converted a perfect pass form Bergeron to give the Bruins a 4-0 lead at the 10-minute mark. He struck again at 15:32 as he completed a two-on-one with Savard, burying a shot past Emery.

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