The Ottawa Senators head into Buffalo tonight trying to steady themselves and turn a rough stretch into something more usable. They’ll face the Sabres at KeyBank Center, with Ottawa looking to clean up its recent play while Buffalo arrives with momentum after a three-game winning streak.
The standings show a slight edge for Ottawa on paper. The Senators are 9-6-1, while the Sabres sit at 7-4-3.
But the form line tells a different story right now. Buffalo has been rolling after a strong road trip through California, and now it gets to try to carry that pace back home.
Ottawa, meanwhile, is trying to shake off its struggles out west and find a more reliable rhythm.
For the Senators, this is about more than just grabbing two points. It’s a chance to settle into consistent hockey again before heading back home.
Ottawa has had no trouble finding goals, but that only gets you so far if the defensive side and goaltending don’t hold up. Samuel Ersson is a big part of that equation.
He’s looking to build on his first Ottawa win and show that performance can be the start of something steadier. As the source puts it, “Sometimes all a goaltender needs is a good performance and a win to regain confidence.
Hopefully, Ersson can use that result as a starting point and give Ottawa another dependable performance tonight.”
Ottawa’s attack still has plenty of punch. Tim Stützle leads the way with nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 16 games.
Drake Batherson has been right there with him, posting nine goals and nine assists for 18 points over the same stretch. Batherson has been especially hot lately, riding a seven-game point streak that included six goals and six assists.
That kind of run gives Ottawa another dangerous layer behind its top scorer.
Shane Pinto has also chipped in with five goals and six assists through 16 games. His goal and assist against San Jose were a good sign for a player who can help round out the scoring depth.
Buffalo, though, has its own weapons and plenty of them. Tage Thompson has been the Sabres’ most dangerous finisher, putting up 10 goals and seven assists for 17 points in 14 games. He’s coming off a two-goal night in Buffalo’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, and he’s the kind of shooter who can swing a game fast.
Jack Quinn has given the Sabres another strong scoring option, with eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 14 games. Zach Benson has added two goals and 11 assists for 13 points, and he’s been especially productive lately with 12 points in his last nine games. His playmaking has helped set up Thompson and the rest of Buffalo’s forwards.
On the back end, Rasmus Dahlin remains a major factor. His ability to drive offense from the blue line and move the puck cleanly makes him another player Ottawa has to account for.
If the Senators want to get out of Buffalo with a win, they’ll need the full package: offense that keeps coming, a steadier defensive effort, and another strong night from Ersson. A complete 60-minute performance is the assignment.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm EST on Amazon Prime.
In Other News...
Senators Give Two Depth Names A Big Chance In Buffalo
The Senators finish their five-game road trip in Buffalo with a lineup that looks a lot like the one they used in Anaheim, but there are still a couple of fresh wrinkles for a team trying to get through the stretch without much margin for error. Sammy Blais is set to make his regular-season debut for Ottawa, a chance earned in part by the injuries that have thinned the group and opened a door for depth players to step in and matter.
Carter Yakemchuk is also expected back in the lineup after missing the previous game, giving Ottawa another young option on the blue line as Nikolas Matinpalo sits out with illness. Samuel Ersson gets the start in goal, and with the road trip winding down, the Senators are again leaning on a mix of regulars and call-up energy to get through one more game before heading home. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Catch A Break As Senators Face Another Goalie Issue
An optional skate offered a little hope, but it did not change the outlook for Ottawa in goal. Linus Ullmark took part in the session, yet he will not start against the Buffalo Sabres because of a lower-body injury, leaving the Senators to lean on Samuel Ersson again as they try to manage another night without their usual setup in net.
The lineup hit did not stop there, either. Defenseman Tyler Kleven will also miss the game because of illness, adding another absence for a Senators team already dealing with a thin margin for error as it faces Buffalo. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Power Play Problem Is Starting To Put Travis Green On Spot
The Senators power play has become one of the clearest trouble spots in the early part of the season, and it is starting to put Travis Green in an uncomfortable position. Ottawa has had chances to cash in with the extra man, but the unit has too often looked disjointed, with sluggish puck movement, sloppy passing and too little sustained pressure to make opponents pay.
For a team that needs every edge it can get, the lack of finishing touch on special teams has fed into the bigger scoring concerns around the roster. The encouraging part is that the fix does not seem mysterious, with more shooting and cleaner movement among the adjustments that could help, but until the Senators show they can turn those ideas into results, the spotlight on Green and his staff is only going to get brighter. [Read more 🡒]