The Ottawa Senators walked into Nashville with a 3-0 lead and walked out with a gut-punch loss - and they’ve only got themselves to blame. What looked like a convincing road win unraveled into a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Predators, capped off by a Steven Stamkos hat trick that left the Sens stunned with just 1:13 left on the clock.
This one stings, not just because of the collapse, but because of how avoidable it was.
Let’s set the stage: Ottawa came out strong, building a three-goal cushion that should’ve been enough to secure two points. Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig, and Stephen Halliday each found the back of the net, giving the Senators a comfortable lead midway through the second period. Cozens, in particular, continued his hot streak - that goal marked his fourth in five games - redirecting a shot past Juuse Saros to make it 3-0 with just over nine minutes left in the second.
But momentum in the NHL is a fragile thing.
The turning point came late in the second. After James Reimer made a highlight-reel save, sprawling across the crease to deny what looked like a sure goal, Stamkos capitalized on a power play just seconds later.
That goal, with only 1:26 left in the frame, cracked the door open. Nashville barged right through it.
By the third period, the Senators were on their heels. Penalties piled up, and the Predators took full advantage.
Jonathan Marchessault made it 3-2 just moments after Ottawa killed off a double-minor to Fabian Zetterlund for high-sticking. Then Stamkos struck again - another power-play goal, this time with 9:53 left - to tie the game at three.
From there, it felt like the inevitable was coming. Ottawa couldn’t stop the bleeding, and Stamkos sealed the deal with his third of the night, completing the comeback and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
For the Senators, it was a missed opportunity - and a frustrating one at that.
“We took way too many penalties, especially in the third,” said head coach Travis Green. “It’s uncharacteristic for us to not at least get a point out of this. I didn’t think we had enough players that played a strong enough game for 60 minutes.”
That quote says a lot. The effort wasn’t consistent, and in today’s NHL, you can’t afford to have passengers - not against a team with weapons like Stamkos and Marchessault.
It’s a shame, too, because James Reimer deserved better. The 37-year-old netminder was making his third start for Ottawa and did everything he could to keep them in it.
He came into the game with a 1-0-1 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.51 goals-against average. He’d just picked up his first NHL win since April 17, 2025, with a solid outing against Columbus earlier in the week.
With Linus Ullmark unavailable - he made the trip but wasn’t dressed - the Senators had no choice but to ride Reimer again. And for most of the night, he delivered.
As Cozens said after the second period, “He’s been outstanding. He’s made some massive saves tonight.
He’s just so confident and so poised. He’s playing great for us, and we’re trying to limit the chances on him.”
Unfortunately, the team in front of him couldn’t hold up their end of the deal.
This loss adds to a season that’s already been full of frustration for Ottawa. Leads haven’t been safe, and consistency - especially late in games - has been hard to come by. Thursday night in Nashville was just the latest example of that trend.
The Senators didn’t just lose a game. They lost control, composure, and a chance to build momentum. And in a season where every point matters, those kinds of collapses can come back to haunt you.