The Atlantic Division rivals, the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins, face off for the second time this season on Thursday. Previously, Ottawa lost to Boston 7-2 at the end of October.
In the first encounter, Boston’s Morgan Geekie scored the opening goal, but Ottawa quickly responded with seven consecutive goals. Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle each contributed two goals and an assist, leading Ottawa to a decisive victory.
The Bruins pursue their fifth consecutive win. They started the season strong with three wins but suffered setbacks, losing seven of their next eight games before their current streak.
On Tuesday, Boston edged out the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout. Marat Khusnutdinov scored the tying goal with under five minutes remaining and was the sole scorer in the shootout.
Ottawa has had a busy schedule lately. They lost 4-3 in overtime to the Canadiens but previously defeated the Calgary Flames in a shootout.
In the latest game against Montreal, Ottawa managed 17 shots and Tim Stutzle scored a go-ahead goal in the third period before Montreal tied it with less than three minutes remaining.
“Marat Khusnutdinov scored the tying goal for Boston with less than five minutes left in regulation. He was then the only player to score in the shootout period.”
“Both Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle had two goals and an assist to skate to an easy victory.”
Author’s summary: Both teams show resilience and competitive spirit as they prepare for a crucial rematch, reflecting a tightly contested division race in the NHL.