The Ottawa Senators haven’t had a favorable start to the new year, but they have shown their best form recently, especially when up against the Montreal Canadiens. Thursday night will see the struggling Senators aiming for a seventh consecutive victory as they host the Canadiens, who are seeking a season-high third straight win.
Even though Ottawa currently occupies the bottom spot in the Eastern Conference with 30 points, they ended 2023 on a positive note with three wins in four games. Unfortunately, the Senators have struggled in 2024, conceding 35 goals and managing only one win in six games.
Ottawa ended a five-game losing streak with a 5-4 home victory against the struggling San Jose Sharks on Saturday. However, on Tuesday, the Senators squandered a 4-2 second-period lead against the visiting Colorado team, allowing five consecutive goals, and ultimately, the Avalanche secured a 7-4 win.
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk, who contributed three assists against Colorado, expressed the team’s need to deliver a consistent 60-minute effort.
For the second time in four games, the Senators squandered a second-period lead. They were ahead 3-2 against Calgary on January 9 but allowed four unanswered goals, resulting in a 6-3 defeat.
“I definitely think part of it is mental,” Ottawa interim coach Jacques Martin said. “You know, you’ve got to build some resistance. You’ve got to build some mechanism that when you face adversity it brings the best out of you instead of folding.”
Maybe a matchup against Montreal, the first meeting between these Canadian rivals this season, will provide the Senators with an opportunity to regain momentum and instill some optimism. Ottawa has dominated the Canadiens, outscoring them 30-15 during their six-game winning streak in the series.
Tkachuk has accumulated five points in the last two games overall, with three goals and six assists in the past six matchups against Montreal. His teammate, Drake Batherson, has found the back of the net in two consecutive games and boasts a track record of nine goals and 11 assists in 21 career games against the Canadiens.
Due to a groin injury placing Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg on injured reserve, Joonas Korpisalo, with a goals-against average of 3.70, may take on an increased role in the net. Mads Sogaard, summoned from AHL Belleville last week, faced 33 shots against the Avalanche on Tuesday, stopping 27 of them.
Despite Montreal’s recent struggles against Ottawa, Canadiens star Cole Caufield has managed to score three goals in his last four games in the series. In their latest game on Wednesday, Caufield contributed a tiebreaking goal with just 4:31 remaining in regulation, securing a 3-2 victory for Montreal against New Jersey.
“(The team finds) a way to win,” Caufield said after his team rallied from blowing a 2-0 lead against the Devils. “I just like the way our group stuck together.”
Montreal’s recent success continued with a second consecutive victory, bringing their record to 4-2-2 in the new year. Notably, seven of those games were closely contested, with the outcome decided by just one goal. The Canadiens are currently on a 2-0-1 streak in road games.
“We’re right there,” rookie Montreal defenseman Jayden Struble said. “We can play with anyone.”
Caufield has been on a hot streak, contributing three goals and three assists in the last four games. Additionally, he provided an assist on a Wednesday goal scored by Juraj Slafkovsky, who has found the back of the net in each of the past two contests.
Montreal’s Sam Montembeault, with a 2.85 goals-against average, made 28 saves on Wednesday. In the back-to-back scenario, Jake Allen (3.49 GAA) or Cayden Primeau (3.13 GAA) might get the start for the Canadiens.
