Tkachuk furious after Sens blow lead vs. Stars: 'Embarrassing hockey'

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was incensed by his team's effort in the second half of Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.

Tkachuk found the back of the net and set up another marker 24 seconds apart to put Ottawa ahead by a goal after the first period before Dallas scored three unanswered in the second and third periods to complete the comeback.

"The second half was embarrassing. Embarrassing hockey. Just unacceptable," Tkachuk said postgame.

Tkachuk added: "The only things we can control are ourselves and individual decisions, and that's just not the way we play."

The Stars improved as the game progressed. After controlling just 37.97% of the five-on-five expected goals in the opening frame, Dallas won 62.51% in the second period and a staggering 92.53% in the third, per Natural Stat Trick.

The result marks Ottawa's third loss in its last four contests after a six-game winning streak. The Senators are back in action Friday against the St. Louis Blues.

"Thank God we play tomorrow," Tkachuk said. "We'll move on from this one. There's a lot of lessons to be learned from this game."