The Ottawa Senators have secured their third consecutive victory and are gearing up for a pivotal series of games against key contenders in the Atlantic Division. Their holiday road trip kicks off on Sunday night with a matchup against the Bruins in Boston, followed by a game against the ascending Buffalo Sabers on Tuesday at CTC, and will wrap up with a clash against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday night after the break.
The Senators have triumphed in four of their last five games, but the fiercely competitive division and conference leave little margin for mistakes. Ottawa currently holds a three-point advantage over both the Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are tied at 41 points. Tampa Bay holds third place in the division thanks to a better scoring percentage (.586).
An interesting note about the schedule is that Sunday’s game completes a four-game series between Ottawa and Boston this season. The Senators dominated the opening game in October with a 7-2 win, the Bruins responded with a 3-2 overtime victory on November 6, and Ottawa took Game 3 a week later with a 5-3 win.
After a four-game winning streak, the Bruins have recently stumbled, losing three of their last four games, including a shootout defeat to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Senators halted their own winning streak by beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 on Saturday afternoon.
A victory on Sunday would mark Ottawa’s first four-game winning streak this season.
The Senators are expected to adjust their lineup due to injury; Tyler Kleben, hurt in Saturday’s game against Chicago, is out for Sunday. Nicolas Matimpalo is likely to rejoin the defense third pairing, filling in as he often did during Thomas Chabot’s absence. Chabot shone in his return on Saturday, contributing an assist and receiving additional ice time due to Kleven’s ejection.
Boston’s offense is led by David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. Geekie tops the team with 25 goals and 39 points, with Pastrnak close behind at 38 points. Despite a noticeable decline, the Bruins still feature significant offensive talent.
Both teams played on Saturday and skipped morning practice ahead of the Sunday game. Following Levi Melilainen’s start against Chicago, the Senators will likely start Linus Ullmark. With Jeremy Swayman playing for Boston on Saturday, Joonas Korpisalo is expected to start for the Bruins in a goaltender showdown against his former team.
Projected Senators lineup (subject to change):
Forwards: Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stuetzle – Fabian Zetterlund; David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson; Michael Amadio – Ridley Greig – Claude Giroux; Curtis McDiarmid – Stephen Halliday – Nick Cousins
Defensemen: Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub; Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen; Nicholas Matimpalo – Jordan Spence
Goaltenders: Linus Ullmark, Levi Melilainen
Projected Bruins lineup (NHL.com):
Forwards: Marat Husnutdinov – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak; Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zaka – Morgan Geekie; Tanner Jano – Fraser Minten – Mark Kusterik; Jeffrey Viell – Sean Clary – Michael Eisymont
Defensemen: Nikita Zadorov – Charlie McAvoy; Hampus Lindholm – Andrew Peake; Mason Rollei – Victor Söderström
Goaltenders: Jonas Korpisalo, Jeremy Swayman
Written by Steve Warne
Hockey News Ottawa, Site Editor
Fan Take: This upcoming series is critical for the Senators as it could define their standing in a tightly contested Atlantic Division, impacting playoff prospects significantly. Hockey fans should watch closely because these high-stakes matchups between divisional rivals like Ottawa, Boston, and Toronto bring intense competition and showcase some of the league’s brightest talents.
