The Atlantic Division rivals, the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins, will meet for the second time this season on Thursday. In their previous matchup at the end of October, Ottawa dominated Boston 7–2 after conceding the first goal.
Boston’s Morgan Geekie opened the scoring, but Ottawa answered with seven consecutive goals. Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each netted two goals and added an assist, securing a confident victory for the Senators.
Since that matchup, Boston has improved its form, collecting 16 points to Ottawa’s 14. The Montreal Canadiens currently top the division with 19 points. The Bruins now aim for their fifth consecutive win.
The Bruins started the season strong with three straight wins but then dropped seven of their next eight games. They have rebounded recently, including a tense 4–3 shootout win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Marat Khusnutdinov scored the tying goal for Boston with less than five minutes left in regulation and was the only player to score in the shootout period.
Ottawa has had a packed schedule. The team recently lost 4–3 in overtime to the Canadiens after defeating the Calgary Flames in a shootout. Despite being limited to 17 shots on goal on Saturday, Ottawa nearly won when Tim Stutzle gave them the lead in the third period before Montreal tied it late.
The Senators and Bruins clash again after Ottawa’s early-season rout, with Boston now riding renewed momentum and Ottawa seeking consistency to climb the standings.