Stars Dominate Senators 6-1 as Ottawa Ends November on a Sour Note
Sunday night in Dallas was supposed to be a measuring stick for the Ottawa Senators - a chance to close out their best November in five years with a statement. Instead, they were handed a reality check by one of the NHL’s hottest teams.
The Dallas Stars overwhelmed the Senators 6-1 at American Airlines Center, handing Ottawa its second straight loss and sending them home from their road trip with more questions than answers. The Senators finish November with a 6-4-3 record - their first time finishing .500 or better in the month since 2019-20 - but this one stings.
Jake Sanderson was the lone Senator to find the back of the net, beating Casey DeSmith with a five-hole shot midway through the second period. It was Sanderson’s fifth of the season, and for a brief moment, it looked like Ottawa might be able to hang around. But that hope was short-lived - just 44 seconds later, Jason Robertson answered for Dallas, restoring the lead and swinging momentum right back to the home team.
“They made us pay,” said forward Ridly Greig, who returned to the lineup after missing five games. “We didn’t have enough life tonight. It’s the end of a road trip, but that’s no excuse - we’ve got to find that energy.”
Ottawa trailed 3-1 after two periods, and things only got worse from there. Wyatt Johnston completed a hat trick in the third, capping off a dominant night for the Stars, who have been rolling with an 8-1-1 record over their last 10 games. The Senators, meanwhile, have now dropped five of their last seven matchups against Dallas.
This game followed a frustrating 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday, where Ottawa let a third-period lead slip away.
That trend continued Sunday, with the Senators struggling to generate any sustained pressure. They managed just 16 shots on goal all night - not nearly enough against a team as structured and opportunistic as Dallas.
The opening period was relatively even, with both teams trading power-play chances and Ottawa holding a slight 7-5 edge in shots. But the second period was where things unraveled.
Maverik Bourque opened the scoring for Dallas just under two minutes in, redirecting a point shot past Joonas Korpisalo. That marked the 15th time in 25 games this season that Ottawa has allowed the first goal - a troubling trend for a team trying to claw its way into the playoff picture.
Sanderson’s goal at 8:36 briefly tied the game, but Robertson’s quick response tilted the ice. Johnston’s first of the night came later in the second, giving the Stars a two-goal cushion they wouldn’t relinquish. He’d add two more in the third to complete the hat trick and put the game out of reach.
For the Senators, the loss was more than just a blowout - it was a missed opportunity in a tightly packed Eastern Conference race. With points at a premium and the standings shifting daily, Ottawa can’t afford to let games like this slip away.
There’s no sugarcoating it - this one was rough. The Senators looked like a team running on fumes at the end of a road trip, while Dallas looked every bit the contender they’re expected to be. Ottawa will need to regroup quickly, tighten up defensively, and find a way to rediscover the energy that fueled their early-November success.
Because if they’re serious about staying in the playoff hunt, nights like this can’t become the norm.