The Atlantic Division rivals, the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins, meet for the second time this season on Thursday. Ottawa was beaten heavily in their first matchup, losing 7-2 late in October after Boston’s Morgan Geekie struck first.
After that opening goal, Ottawa dominated, scoring seven unanswered goals.
Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each tallied two goals and one assist, sealing an easy victory for the Senators.
Since that game, Boston has found better form, collecting 16 points while Ottawa trails slightly with 14. The Montreal Canadiens currently top the Atlantic Division with 19 points. Boston now aims for its fifth straight win.
The Bruins started the season strong with three consecutive wins, then stumbled, dropping seven of eight games before their current surge. Most recently, they edged out the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout on Tuesday.
Marat Khusnutdinov netted the tying goal for Boston with less than five minutes left in regulation and was the only scorer in the shootout round.
Ottawa has been busy on the ice. The Senators lost 4-3 in overtime to Montreal after defeating Calgary in a shootout earlier. Despite being limited to just 17 shots on Saturday, Ottawa nearly pulled off another win when Stutzle gave them the lead in the third period, but Montreal equalized with under three minutes left.
Ottawa and Boston renew their Atlantic Division rivalry as both squads chase momentum in an increasingly tight race.
Author’s Summary: A high-stakes rematch between Ottawa and Boston, with both teams pushing through streaks and chasing the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division standings.