The Ottawa Senators thrashed the Boston Bruins 6-2 Sunday to earn back-to-back weekend wins. Coupled with beating the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 Saturday afternoon, the Senators are now on a four-game win streak. It’s their first four-game winning stretch this season and first since the team was victorious in six straight March 5-15/25. This weekend marked the second occasion, the club has won on back-to-back days in the 2025-26 campaign. The Senators previously defeated Philadelphia and Utah November 8-9.
With parity throughout the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference in its entirety, the Senators complete their season series with the Bruins compiling seven of a possible eight points, posting a 3-0-1 record. Ottawa outscored Boston 20-10 over the four meetings.
On this night, Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Fabian Zetterlund launched the Senators to a 3-0 first period lead. David Pastrnak got his team on the board during the first portion of a Bruins’ 5-on-3 power play prior to the period’s conclusion.
Tim Stützle and Dylan Cozens gave the Senators a 5-1 lead in the second. Bruins Charlie McAvoy notched his first of the season on his 28th birthday followed by Zetterlund’s second of the game to make it 6-2 Senators. No goals were scored in the final frame, but with the game out of hand, shenanigans ensued.
Senators Kurtis MacDermid dropped the gloves with former Sen Mark Kastelic. Ridly Greig and Pastrnak exchanged punches as the game wound down. The Bruins All Star sustained a bloodied mouth in the skirmish.
When you’re hot, you’re hot
Tim Stützle’s extended his point streak to seven games, averaging two points in each (six goals, eight assists). There’s little doubt this is his best stretch during his six-year career to date. The 23-year-old tallied his 17th goal this season while fighting through defensive coverage at the side of the net. The tally is only one short of the 18 scored two seasons ago. Stützle is on pace to equal his career high 39 goals recorded in 2022-23.
Being an integral part on the Senators penalty kill also provides the team with an offensive weapon while a man down. Stützle created a turnover Saturday versus the Blackhawks converting a shorthanded breakaway. The centre had two shorthanded breaks Sunday. However, both were stopped by Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo before he was replaced by Jeremy Swayman.
On the difference in his play this season, Stützle noted he’s driving to the net more, “That’s our game, getting to the dirty areas. My career, I’ve been told I play on the outside a lot, and I just try to improve every year, and every game, get better at those things in front of that as well. And playing with Chucky (Brady Tkachuk), he’s mostly around the net, but when he has the puck in front, I go to the net.”
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Fabian is feeling it
Another Senators playing his best stretch of hockey with the club is Fabian Zetterlund. Last season, the Swede registered only five points (two goals, three assists) upon being acquired from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline. This season, the 26-year-old posted a paltry one goal, three assists in his first 20 games. But all of a sudden everything that wasn’t working for the versatile forward has reversed its course. Zetterlund has contributed eight goals, four assists over his past 15 outings.
Zetterlund is definitely benefiting skating on a line with Stützle and Brady Tkachuk. With an assist, Tkachuk himself extended his point streak to five games.
Zetterlund is also a key component on the Senators surging power play, netting a pair of PP markers against the Bruins, while on the second unit. The Senators PP is responsible for 13 goals in nine games.
Bath Time and Rich Cozens
The chemistry of Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens was once again in the spotlight. The 2022 IIHF Canada World Championship Tournament teammates each pocketed three points. Cozens’ three points was his third multi-point game in December.
While Batherson’s sister, Mae had a great day for the Minnesota Frost scoring her first PWHL goal, Drake capped off the evening for the Batherson family with a one goal, two assist effort. Known as a streaky scorer, Batherson has accumulated six goals, eight assists in December which is best month over the length of his six NHL seasons. In 70 games during the month of December, the Senators 2017 121st overall selection has garnered 27 goals, 47 assists.
Chabot a catalyst?
It’s not a coincidence the Senators won a pair of weekend games with Thomas Chabot returning to the lineup. Missing 15 of 16 games after sustaining an upper-body, Chabot solidifies the second pair on the Senators blue line. Drawing assists in both games, Chabot was thrown into the fire versus Chicago after Tyler Kleven left with an ankle/leg injury. The defenseman played 26:37 in his first game in 27 days Saturday, following up the next night skating 22:46. The D-pair of Chabot and Jordan Spence were on the ice for three of Ottawa’s four even-strength goals.
Josh Norris makes his first visit to the Canadian Tire Centre Tuesday since being dealt to Buffalo. The Sabres are Senators’ krypronite having beaten them five consecutive times, not to mention the team is currently winners of six in a row. The game should be a raucous one as it’s the final game prior to the holiday break.
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