The Ottawa Senators are back in action after a three-week hiatus, and the timing couldn't be more critical. With just 25 games remaining in the regular season, the Senators are six points shy of the Boston Bruins for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It's crunch time, and every game counts.
Tonight, the Senators face off against the Detroit Red Wings in Kanata. There's some lineup drama brewing as Tim Stützle missed the morning skate, but coach Travis Green remains hopeful he’ll play.
Stützle is listed as a game-time decision, and his presence on the top line is crucial. Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson are confirmed to hit the ice.
Here's how the lines are shaping up:
- Batherson-Stützle-Giroux
- Tkachuk-Cozens-Greig
- Cousins-Pinto-Amadio
- MacDermid-Halliday-Zetterlund
On defense:
- Sanderson-Zub
- Chabot-Jensen
- Kleven-Spence
Linus Ullmark is set to start in goal.
The puck drops at 7:08 PM, and fans can catch the game on TSN5, TSN1200, and 104.7 FM. Streaming links will be available in the comments later.
Let’s break down tonight’s matchup with a closer look at the stats:
HEAD2HEAD
- Record: Senators 33-19-6 (72 pts) vs. Red Wings 28-22-7 (63 pts)
- Goals For: Senators 2.97 (20th) vs. Red Wings 3.30 (12th)
- Goals Against: Senators 2.97 (12th) vs. Red Wings 3.23 (24th)
- Power Play: Both teams at 23.1% (8th)
- Penalty Kill: Senators 79.6% (15th) vs.
Red Wings 73.1% (30th)
- Shots For: Senators 28.4 (15th) vs.
Red Wings 28.5 (14th)
- Shots Against: Senators 27.7 (15th) vs.
Red Wings 24.5 (2nd)
Leading Scorers:
- Senators: Stützle (61 pts), Batherson (49 pts), Sanderson (46 pts), Cozens (43 pts), Giroux (39 pts)
- Red Wings: Raymond (60 pts), DeBrincat (57 pts), Larkin (51 pts), Seider (38 pts), Copp (33 pts)
With the Senators needing a strong finish to keep their playoff hopes alive, tonight's game is pivotal. The team must come out strong and capitalize on every opportunity. Let’s see if they can make a statement against the Red Wings and start closing that gap in the standings.