5 biggest rivals of the Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators began their existence going back to the 1992-93 NHL season. Even though the franchise has still yet to hoise a Stanley Cup, the franchise has had memorable moments in franchise history.
Even with having success, rivalries and hatred toward teams will happen. Hatred and tension are always in the air when playing a rival.
Some have wondered who are the Senators' biggest rivals. While the beginning of the franchise had door matted years, the Senators had to fight and earn respect, but also earned hate from teams.
5 biggest rivalries of the Ottawa Senators
Some of the rivalries for the Senators were built from playoff meetings, heartbreaking moments, unforgettable moments, and travel distance too. A lot of things go into a rivalry and hatred being born.
5. New Jersey Devils
Some fans might not realize that the Senators have faced the New Jersey Devils three times in the playoffs, but they have. Each series was tough and had history to it.
The first time the two teams met in the playoffs was in the 1998 first round. The Devils entered the playoffs as the top seed in the East with 24 more points than the eighth seed Senators. The Senators did the unthinkable and upset the Devils in six games. Two of Ottawa's wins were in overtime; three wins were decided by one goal.
2003 would be the next time they played in the playoffs. The two teams met in the Eastern Conference Finals. This time, the Senators were the President's Trophy winner, and the Devils were the second-best team in the East. The Senators trailed 3-1 in the series but ended up forcing a Game 7. One name Senators fans will never get out of their minds is Jeff Friesen when he scored the go-ahead goal with 2:14 remaining in the third period to give the Devils a 3-2 lead.
In 2007, the two met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After splitting the first two games, the Senators won the next three to win the series in five games. The Senators' series-clinching win marked the final played at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
So, the Senators were able to take a piece of hockey history with them by eliminating the Devils in their old barn. The Senators also took a piece of more history with them from the Devils five months later when the Devils' current arena, the Prudential Center, hosted the first NHL game between the Devils and Senators. The Senators spoiled the Devils' first game at Prudential Center by winning the game 4-1.
In the 2019 and 2020 NHL Drafts, both teams were able to draft a superstar player to build their franchise around. The Devils selected Jack Hughes first overall in 2019; the Senators drafted Tim Stutzle third overall in 2020. Although Ottawa is in a seven-year playoff drought, don't be surprised years later if these two players lead their teams to the playoffs frequently with potential playoff meetings between each other.
4. Buffalo Sabres
For over 30 years, the Senators have had intense playoff meetings and memorable moments to develop a rivalry with the Buffalo Sabres.
The two teams met each other three times in nine years in the Stanley Cup Playoffs from 1997-2006. The results were the same as the Sabres won all three of the playoff meetings. However, 2007 would be when the hatred between the two teams picked up.
In a February 2007 game in Buffalo, all Hell broke lose. The Senators and Sabres would get in a huge brawl. The brawl was capped off by goaltenders Ray Emery and Martin Biron fighting each other, which later on Buffalo's Andrew Peters jumped in and fought Emery. Senators head coach Bryan Murray and Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff can be seen screaming heavily at one another.
Because the hockey Gods love giving the fans what they want, the two teams would meet in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. Unlike the past three playoff meetings, the Senators knocked off the 2007 President's Trophy-winning Sabres in five games to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. 2007 will forever be iconic between the two teams.
The distance from Ottawa to Buffalo is around 5.5 hours, so fans from each team at times will make a road trip to the cities for a game. To add more motivation for the two teams, both teams are also seeking to end their current playoff droughts.
3. Montreal Canadiens
Hockey atmosphere in Canada the among fan bases is unmatched. The Senators' hatred for the Montreal Canadiens will always be there.
One thing that immediately goes into the rivalry is the amount of Canadiens fans that travel to Ottawa when the Canadiens play at Canadian Tire Centre. Under 2.5 hours separate the two cities apart. Ottawa having over 40 percent of the population speak French also intensifies the rivalry because Quebec's main language is French.
It might sound shocking for some fans, but the Senators and Canadiens have only played each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice. Both times were in the first round of the playoffs in 2013 and 2015.
In 2013, the Senators entered the playoffs as the seventh seed in the East against the Canadiens, who were the second seed. The Senators upset the Canadiens in five games. In the series-clinching win in Game 5 in Montreal, the Senators laid an embarrassing 6-1 win against the Canadiens.
Unfortunately for the Senators in 2015, they fell in six games to the Canadiens. The first three games of the series Ottawa lost by one goal. Two of the losses came in overtime. The Senators won the next two games to force a Game 6 back in Ottawa, but were shutout 2-0 to lose the series.
Every NHL team's fan base in Canada will have a hatred for the Canadiens. The Senators are one of those fan bases that will have hatred toward the Canadiens.
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
Some might find this shocking, but the Senators have a deep rivalry with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In another shocking twist, the Senators have played the Penguins the most in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with five meetings. The playoffs is where hatred began.
2007 was the first time the two teams met in the playoffs. It was Sidney Crosby's second NHL season. The Senators knocked off the Penguins in five games in the first round. The Senators fell in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. Now, the irony would happen the following year.
In the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Senators were matched up with the Penguins again, but this time the Senators were swept. The Penguins later on would lose in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008. It's interesting that when both teams fell in the Stanley Cup Finals, they defeated each other in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Penguins knocked off the Senators in the 2010 first round and 2013 second round. In 2017, they gave hockey fans a thrilling series in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals.
With the series tied at two, hope appeared gone for the Senators when they lost 7-0 in Game 5, but the Senators responded with a 2-1 win in Game 6 to set up a Game 7.
Justin Schultz scored a powerplay goal to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead with 8:16 to go. Hope looked gone for the Senators until Ryan Dzingel tied the game less than three minutes later. Overtime was needed for the two teams. The winner was going to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Nashville Predators.
Earlier, the name of Jeff Friesen was mentioned for his late go-ahead goal in Game 7 in 2003. If you mentioned the name of Chris Kunitz to any Senators fan, they will most likely cringe. Kunitz scored the series-winning goal in double overtime to end Ottawa's cup chase.
Since that loss, the Senators haven't been back to the playoffs. The Penguins put a dark cloud over Ottawa with that Game 7.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Battle of Ontario will always be important for Ontario and everyone in Canada. No matter what the record is, the Senators fans and team will always hate the Toronto Maple Leafs. Under five hours separate the two cities.
The Senators and Maple Leafs have met four times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs four times, but the results were always the same, with the Maple Leafs winning every series.
From 2000-2002, the two teams met in the playoffs for three consecutive years. The most brutal series loss the Senators suffered was in 2002 when they were defeated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games. The two met again in the 2004 first round, but the Maple Leafs won the series again in seven games.
Despite the Senators not winning one Stanley Cup since they began their first season 1992-93, the Senators have the right to shut Maple Leaf fans up by their playoff success since 2003, which is ironically the year after they fell to the Maple Leafs in the second round.
Since 2003, the Senators have played in three Eastern Conference Finals, have played in one Stanley Cup Final, and have won 10 playoff match ups. Since the Maple Leafs defeated the Senators in the 2004 playoffs, they have only won one playoff series which came in 2023.
The Battle of Ontario will always intensify with every meeting. This season offers to have a lot of drama with the Senators trading for 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. If Ullmark plays like he did in Boston, he can be the determining factor the Senators to be a sneaky team to compete with the Maple Leafs and rest of the Atlantic Division in 2025.
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