The Ottawa Senators were forced to work overtime again on Tuesday night.

The Senators had a good start, but like they have so many nights they had a tough time finishing, which resulted in 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars at the Canadian Tire Centre.

It’s the fifth time in the club’s last six games the Senators have been forced to play OT. Roope Hintz scored at 2:02 during a scramble in front, but it was reviewed for goalie interference because the league looks at all of them.

“We’re not sitting here surprised we played well. It was a hard-fought hockey game,” said coach Travis Green. “When you play good teams, I thought we had some chances to put the game away, and we gave them new life.

“We took a couple of penalties in the third period against a real good team. That gave them life … I wasn’t crazy about one of the calls.”

Neither were the 16,562 in the building.

Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, didn’t appear happy as he made his way down the hallway by the Stars dressing room towards where the officials are located after the game.

We’re told Staios didn’t see the officials. He returned a few minutes from another hallway along with senior VP Dave Poulin.

The Senators had every right to be upset with the referees, especially a high-sticking call on Ridly Greig in the third.

While the Senators pulled out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Nick Jensen and Drake Batherson in the first, the Stars poured it on, and if not for a stellar effort by goaltender Linus Ullmark the club wouldn’t have stood a chance.

The Senators were outshot 17-6 in the third period.

The Stars erased a two-goal deficit when Jason Robertson tied it up 2-2 on the powerplay with 12 minutes left in the third. He fired it by Ullmark on the glove side with the Senators looking like they were back on their heels.

The Senators came into this game with eight straight victories over the Stars at home. The Stars’ last win in Ottawa came on March 6, 2016.

INJURY MEANS CHANGES

The visit by the Stars got even more difficult after the Senators lost defenceman Thomas Chabot with an upper-body ailment after the first period.

Green had opted not to make any changes with the Senators coming off a 4-2 win over Utah on Sunday in the second of this four-game homestand. Why would he?

But he was forced to move the furniture around during the game.

“Chabot is a big part of this group. He eats up a lot of minutes against a lot of good players,” said Jensen. “When guys have to step up and fill those shoes, I have a lot of confidence in our defence core.”

Defenceman Jake Sanderson finished with 29 minutes of ice time.

Initially, Chabot started the game with Jordan Spence, but that had to change quickly after he left. With only five blueliners, the Senators had to mix and match the rest of the night to try to beat the Stars.

Jensen was supposed to play with Tyler Kleven, but after Chabot left everybody played with everybody.

You would never know the Senators had picked up points in nine of 10 games coming into this one. The club had posted a 6-1-3 record in that stretch, but the Stars are a tough test.

GOOD START

This one got off to a good start for the Senators. Not only did they lead 2-0, but the club also won the battles for loose pucks, created opportunities, and performed well defensively.

Jensen completed a give-and-go with Michael Amadio in front, and beat Jake Oettinger on the stick side at 6:53 to give the club a 2-0 lead. That was Jensen’s first goal since Jan. 18 and ended a 42-game goalless streak.

Instead of chasing the game, Ottawa opened the scoring for only the seventh time this season when Batherson fired a blast by Oettinger high only 49 seconds into the first.

“That was one of the best periods we’ve played this year,” Batherson said.

It was the best period the club played this season.

BACK TO ULLMARK

Twenty-four hours after Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, gave Ullmark a vote of confidence, he made his 14th start in 17 games against the Stars.

The best way to sum up Ullmark’s play this season is that it has been inconsistent, which is reflected in his 6-4-3 record coming into the game. He had posted a 3.24 goals-against average and a .866 save percentage.

The best way for Ullmark to get his game back is to keep winning. He gave the Senators a chance to win in this one. That’s what you need from your goalie.

A turnover by Tyler Kleven allowed Mikko Rantanen to get to the Stars on the board. He made the club pay by beating Ullmark through the five-hole to cut Ottawa’s lead to 2-1 at 16:22 of the second.

“We got a point out of, which is what matters, because every point matters,” Ullmark said.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com