Game 12: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In Canada: Sportsnet One (English), TVA Sports (French)
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Montreal Canadiens enjoyed a few days off after completing their western road trip, but still find themselves atop the Atlantic Division four days since their last game. An overtime win in Seattle earned Montreal a 16th point through 11 games played, and also improved their road record to 5-2 with one-sixth of their away schedule played already.
Tonight they will return to the Bell Centre where they have a 3-1 mark. Their opponent is an Ottawa Senators team that has recovered from a poor start to sit third in the division. The Senators began the year 2-4-1, but with a 4-1-0 run since then, scoring 20 goals in the last four games, they have risen their record above .500.
The Canadiens will be facing the Senators for the first time in the regular season, but they did have two feisty battles with their rival in the pre-season, including a 5-0 win by Montreal in Quebec City in which the Sens deciding to stop playing hockey and go after the Habs players. That will be the tone this first meaningful game of the year between the two clubs begins on tonight.
Tale of the Tape
Canadiens
Statistics
Senators
8-3-0
Record
6-5-1
47.8% (22nd)
Expected-goal share
53.2% (9th)
3.64 (5th)
Goals per game
3.58 (9th)
3.00 (14th)
Goals against per game
3.92 (29th)
28.1% (7th)
PP%
28.9% (6th)
75.0% (21st)
PK%
62.2% (31st)
3-1-0
Head-to-Head Record (24-25)
1-3-0
Cole Caufield (9)
Most goals
Shane Pinto (8)
Nick Suzuki (14)
Most assists
Drake Batherson (9)
Nick Suzuki (16)
Most points
Tim Stützle (13)
While each team will want to prove its toughness to the other, neither can afford to spend time in the penalty box. The Canadiens’ penalty-killing issues have been much discussed by fans as the team ranks in the bottom 10 of the league at 75%. Ottawa’s penalty kill has been even more challenged as it finds success versus just five of every eight penalties it faces. It’s a big reason why the Senators are allowing almost four goals against per game, with a league-worst 14 goals (of 47 total) surrendered while down a player.
Given those defensive issues on both sides and the fact that, especially thanks to Ottawa’s recent offensive explosion, the two teams rank in the top eight in offence, it’s probably not going to be a defensive battle this evening, but one in which blows are traded on the scoreboard as much as they are between the individual players on the ice.
The Senators have multiple players entering this game on four-game point streaks, while Lane Hutson has hit the scoresheet in five consecutive games and Nick Suzuki’s run with a point reached 10 games in Seattle with three assists in the win. Each team has its offensive stars that are off to good starts, and even the goal-scoring battle is close between Cole Caufield (9) and Shane Pinto (8). Whichever team is able to maintain its recent offensive form is the one that will come out on top in what might be a high-scoring return to the Bell Centre.
