Batherson has 3 goals and an assist as Senators beat Ducks 5-1

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Drake Batherson had three goals and an assist, and the Ottawa Senators beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 Wednesday night for their third win in four games.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and an assist, and Noah Gregor also scored for the Senators. Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots.

Cutter Gauthier scored for the Ducks, and John Gibson finished with 29 saves. Anaheim has lost four straight.

Gregor opened the scoring for the Senators at 2:55 of the first period, scoring on their first shot of the game.

Ottawa then capitalized on a lengthy two-man advantage when Batherson scored his 100th career goal. The puck disappeared under a sprawling Gibson. It was declared a goal after a review.

Batherson made it 3-0 with his second power-play goal of the night and completed the hat trick midway through the second.

He picked up an assist on Tkachuk’s power-play goal midway through the third to make it 5-0.

Gauthier spoiled Ullmark’s shutout bid with his fourth of the season with 7:18 remaining.

Senators: Special teams were the difference as Ottawa went 3 for 5 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

Ducks: By the time Anaheim found its game legs, the Ducks trailed 3-0.

Already killing a holding penalty, the Ducks took a delay of game minor to give Ottawa a two-man advantage for almost two minutes. The Senators capitalized for a 2-0 lead.

The Ducks have struggled at home (5-9-1), but were 4-0-2 in their last previous six on the road.

Senators visit Carolina on Friday, and Ducks visit Toronto on Thursday.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Anaheim Ducks' Mason McTavish tries to tip a shot past Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark as he is pressured by Senators' Nick Jensen during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson sits in his crease after allowing a third goal to the Ottawa Senators during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Ridly Greig tries to tip the puck past Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Tyler Kleven collides with Anaheim Ducks' Jacob Trouba along the boardsduring the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Adam Gaudette takes a swing at the puck as Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson grabs it with his glove during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark makes a glove save as Thomas Chabot, left, and Anaheim Ducks' Troy Terry look on during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark stops a shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Nick Cousins reaches for the puck as Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson slides across the crease during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators' Noah Gregor scores on Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press via AP)

DALLAS (AP) — Pitchers again dominated the big league phase of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings, comprising 11 of the 15 unprotected players who were picked Wednesday.

The 121-loss Chicago White Sox had the first pick and selected 24-year-old right-hander Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest when he was signed by Milwaukee in July 2021. The 6-foot-4, 235-pounder has gone 13-7 with a 2.69 ERA and 203 strikeouts over 157 innings in 19 starts and 54 relief appearances over three minor league seasons.

There were 14 teams who made picks in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft of players left off 40-man rosters after several minor league seasons. Only Atlanta made two selections, after making none since 2017.

Atlanta chose right-hander Anderson Pilar from the Miami Marlins with the 11th pick, and then took infielder Christian Cairo from the Cleveland Guardians with the 15th and final pick in the MLB portion.

The 26-year-old Pilar was original signed by Colorado as a minor league free agent in 2015 and has pitched in 213 minor league games that included 17 starts. He is 28-20 with a 2.86 ERA.

Teams pay $100,000 to take a player in the major league portion. The players must stay on the big league roster all of next season or clear waivers and be offered back to their original organization for $50,000.

Six of the 10 players selected during the Rule 5 draft last December — five of them right-handed pitchers — remained last season with organization that selected them.

Right-hander Eiberson Castellano, the current minor league pitcher of the year in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, was taken Wednesday by Minnesota with the ninth selection. The 23-year-old Castellano split the season between High-A and Double-A, going 6-5 with a 3.99 ERA over 103 2/3 innings. He struck out 136 and walked 29.

The Phillies did get a right-hander with the 14th pick, the last of the first round, Mike Vasil from the New York Mets organization.

Two of the four position players taken by other teams came from the Detroit Tigers organization: catcher Liam Hicks and third baseman Gage Workman.

Miami drafted second after Colorado passed making a selection, and took Hicks. Workman was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th pick.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Jeff Pfeifer, left on video screen, MLB vice president of baseball operations, listens to the pick made by a representative of the Atlanta Braves, right, on screen, during the Rule 5 Draft at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Jeff Pfeifer, MLB vice president of baseball operations, leads the Rule 5 Draft at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Jeff Pfeifer, at podium, MLB vice president of baseball operations, listens to a pick made by a San Diego Padres representative, standing right, during the Rule 5 Draft at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)