Bartkowski’s career night helps snap Sens’ streak

How do you get the best out of Matt Bartkowski? Tell him he might be traded.

One day after it was reported that the Vancouver Canucks had named him as one of seven players available at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old went off for a career-best, three-point night - scoring two goals and adding an assist - in a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Bartkowski picked up a point on the first three Canucks goals, and after his second goal knotted the score at three apiece, the team's Twitter account couldn't help but acknowledge the man keeping them in the game.

"I probably have like eight voicemails from my mom," Bartkowski said post-game about his proud mother, who gained fame watching her son score live during a game earlier in the month. "You're lucky she wasn't here or everyone would have heard her tonight."

Bartkowski now has five goals and 11 assists in 59 games this season.

Emerson Etem also had a two-goal game, adding an empty-netter in the final minute to clinch the win. Jake Virtanen scored the game-winner during a third-period power play, and Ryan Miller made 27 saves to pick up his second consecutive win.

As for the Senators, they saw their four-game winning streak come to an end as they hope to make yet another late-season push for the playoffs. Star forwards Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan all found the net for Ottawa.

The Canucks have one more game before the trade deadline, as they host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Senators will finish their three-game Western Canadian road trip against the Calgary Flames on Friday.

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One thought on “Bartkowski’s career night helps snap Sens’ streak”

  1. Where has that effort been all year. This is the player Benning thought he was picking up when he signed Bartkowski. It makes me wonder if Bartkowski was playing to keep his job, or playing to get out of Vancouver.

    Great to see him step up, hopefully this is the confidence boost he needs to start playing up to his potential!

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