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Bobby Ryan nets emotional hat trick in Ottawa return

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Bobby Ryan punctuated his emotional return to the Ottawa Senators lineup with a hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan made a triumphant return to the Canadian Tire Centre on February 27, 2020, following a three-month leave of absence to enter the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program for alcohol abuse. Ryan, who publicly acknowledged his struggle with addiction, celebrated his first home game since November 15, 2019, by recording his fifth career hat trick to snap the team’s four-game losing streak.

• Ryan recorded his first hat trick since 2014, scoring a first-period goal and two third-period goals just 19 seconds apart.
• Prior to his return to the ice, Ryan had maintained 100 days of sobriety, a significant turnaround after posting only one goal in his first 21 games of the 2019-20 season.

A Triumphant Return

The atmosphere inside the Canadian Tire Centre was charged with fan support, as the crowd delivered multiple standing ovations and persistent “Bobby! Bobby!” chants throughout the evening. Visibly moved on the bench, Ryan wiped away tears during the cheers of the home crowd. His performance was marked by high efficiency; after an opening goal assisted by Nikita Zaitsev, he secured the feat in the final frame. His second goal involved a precise skate-to-stick transfer off a pass from Chris Tierney, followed by an empty-netter that sealed the 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

“You can’t write this stuff… It just got harder to keep the emotions down throughout the game. It was incredible. They supported me and I got to contribute.”

The Personal Victory

Ryan will look to build on this performance as the Ottawa Senators hit the road to face the Montreal Canadiens this Saturday.