The Ottawa Senators are in the thick of a grueling stretch, playing five games in just seven nights. Each matchup feels like a playoff battle as they aim to leapfrog multiple teams in the standings. With little time to rest, the pressure is on.
Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to play spoiler once again. Ottawa should have been 2-0 against their Ontario rivals, but a tough 7-5 loss back in December marked a pivotal moment for the team, especially for goalie Linus Ullmark. A win tonight, paired with a non-overtime result between Boston and Detroit, could shrink the Senators' deficit in the standings to just three points.
Senators Lineup
Ottawa's recent lineup against the Islanders might see James Reimer in net against his former team, or perhaps Linus Ullmark will return after a solid performance against Toronto in February.
Maple Leafs Lineup
Last time out against Carolina, the Leafs had Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson flanking John Tavares, with Knies and Nylander alongside Domi. Anthony Stolarz is expected to be in goal, though it's not confirmed yet.
Game Notes
The statistical gap between these teams is striking. Ottawa ranks first in shots against per game, while Toronto sits at 32nd.
The Senators are also top-five in Corsi% and expected goals (xG%), whereas the Leafs find themselves in the bottom five. Toronto's goalie stats tell a story too: Joseph Woll has a .900 save percentage or higher in 71.9% of his starts, compared to Anthony Stolarz's 38.1%.
Missing key players like Tanev and Matthews for the season, Toronto has seen others step up. Nick Robertson, usually a third- or fourth-liner, now plays top-six minutes with Tavares. With Robertson, Maccelli, and Quillan as restricted free agents this offseason, the Leafs face decisions that could reshape their roster.
Travis Green's confidence in his four lines is notable, but adding offensive firepower like Stephen Halliday could be beneficial, especially with Jake Sanderson out. Against teams with less depth, Halliday could offer a boost without compromising defense.
Broadcast Info
Catch the action at 7:00 PM ET on CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports.
Statistics
| Category | Senators (# / Rank) | Leafs (# / Rank) |
|---|
| Goals/GP | 3.32 / 9th | 3.11 / 16th | | Goals Against/GP| 3.1 / 20th | 3.44 / 30th |
| Shots/GP | 28.8 / 9th | 27.2 / 22nd | | Shots Against/GP| 24.2 / 1st | 32.3 / 32nd |
| Powerplay % | 22.8 / 9th | 19.2 / 20th | | Penalty Kill % | 74.1 / 30th | 82.9 / 5th |
| Corsi % (5v5 SVA)| 53.84 / 4th | 44.44 / 32nd | | xGF% (5v5 SVA) | 55.38 / 3rd | 46.13 / 28th |
Player Stats
| Category | Senators Player (#) | Leafs Player (#) |
|---|
| Goals | Stützle 31 | Matthews 27 | | Assists | Stützle 40 | Nylander 40 |
| Points | Stützle 71 | Nylander 64 | | Shots | Tkachuk 186 | Matthews 227 |
| TOI/GP | Sanderson 24:49 | Rielly 21:15 |
As the Senators and Leafs face off, the stakes are high, and the action promises to be intense. Fans won't want to miss it.