The Atlantic Division rivals, the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins, meet for the second time this season on Thursday. Ottawa was defeated 7-2 at the end of October.
After Boston’s Morgan Geekie opened the scoring in the initial game, Ottawa responded strongly by scoring seven unanswered goals. Key players Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each contributed two goals and an assist, leading Ottawa to a decisive win.
Boston aims for its fifth consecutive win. The Bruins started the season strong with three straight wins but then lost seven of eight games before the current winning streak. Their latest success came in a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Marat Khusnutdinov scored the tying goal for Boston with under five minutes remaining in regulation and was the only shooter to score in the shootout.
Ottawa has played several challenging games lately. They narrowly lost 4-3 in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens and previously defeated the Calgary Flames in a shootout.
In the game against Montreal, Ottawa was limited to 17 shots but still had a chance to win when Tim Stutzle netted the go-ahead goal in the third period. Montreal tied the game with less than three minutes left in regulation.
Both teams come into the match with mixed recent results, promising a competitive showdown between these Atlantic Division rivals.
“After Boston's Morgan Geekie scored the first goal, the Senators responded with seven straight goals.”
Author's summary: This key Atlantic Division matchup highlights Ottawa's resilience and Boston's recent resurgence, setting the stage for a competitive rematch.