Mark Stone’s Assessment: Senators Dominate Golden Knights 7-1

Senators Thrash Golden Knights 7-1: Stone Highlights Desperation

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators delivered a resounding 7-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, fueled by the long-awaited return of goaltender Linus Ullmark to the lineup. Ullmark, the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner, made his first appearance since December 27th, backing up Mads Sogaard.

Ullmark’s Return and a Team Boost

Ullmark’s absence was due to personal reasons, which he publicly addressed, revealing a focus on his mental health. His return provided a significant boost to the Senators, who have been battling to climb back into the playoff picture in the competitive Atlantic Division.

Dominant Performance and Key Goals

“We’ve been playing a lot of good hockey and we haven’t won,” said Dylan Cozens, who scored twice in the game. “At the end of the day it doesn’t matter how many good games you play, you gotta win.” And win they did. Stephen Halliday had a career night, scoring two goals and adding an assist before leaving the game with an injury in the third period. Fabian Zetterlund also contributed with a goal, assisted by an own goal from Vegas defender Kaeden Korczak.

Mark Stone’s Candid Analysis

Vegas forward Mark Stone offered a stark assessment of his team’s performance, acknowledging the Senators’ desperation. “They’re desperate in the standings,” Stone stated. “There’s 30-odd games left and they’ve got to jump some teams.” He further commented, “It looked like an NHL team versus a junior team. It wasn’t what we are.”

Sogaard Stands Tall

Mads Sogaard was impressive in net, particularly early in the game, successfully stopping Mitch Marner on a penalty shot just two minutes in. “I was obviously more nervous than normal, given the situation,” Sogaard admitted. “But I thought that was a great way to get into a game.”

Halliday’s Impact and Injury Update

Despite leaving the game due to an injury sustained after a hit from Tomas Hertl, captain Brady Tkachuk reported that Halliday “feels good, feels OK, so hopefully it’s nothing too severe.” Tkachuk praised Halliday’s continuous improvement, stating, “Every single game he plays he just keeps getting better and better.”

Golden Knights Struggle

Rasmus Andersson scored a late consolation goal for Vegas, but it did little to diminish the Senators’ victory. Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy expressed his disappointment with his team’s effort. “I didn’t like our battle level at all,” he said. “Typically the team will have pushback, but we didn’t really have that either.”

Looking Ahead

The Senators will face a tough test on Wednesday as they host the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. This win provides a crucial momentum boost as they continue their push for a playoff berth.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2026.