The 4 Nations Face-Off came to an end on Thursday night and now it's back to work for the Ottawa Senators. For the first time since October, they will play the Montreal Canadiens.
The Senators headed into the 4 Nations Face-Off break on a low with losing their final three games. However, a break can be needed for a team that's struggling. Now that the break is over, the Senators hope to begin a new hot stretch right out of the gate.
Senators host Canadiens in first game back after 4 Nations Face-Off
The Senators host the Canadiens at Canadian Tire Centre with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
As the Senators headed into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, they struggled. The Senators lost two consecutive games to the Tampa Bay Lightning and fell 5-1 in their last game before the break against the Florida Panthers. Tim Stutzle did head into the break with a eight-game point streak.
With the three consecutive losses, the Senators are now 29-23-4 on the season. Even with three consecutive losses, the Senators still remain in a playoff spot, but the team needs to start winning games to have a chance to make the 2025 playoffs. The Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and New York Islanders are right behind the Senators eyeing to jump them in the Eastern Conference standings.
As for the Canadiens, they come into tonight's game with a 25-26-5 record. The Canadiens lost eight of their last nine games heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break with their most recent game being a 5-3 loss on Feb. 9 against the Lightning.
The Senators and Canadiens have not played against each other since Oct. 12. The Canadiens defeated the Senators 4-1 in Montreal. After four months of not playing against each other, the wait is now over for both teams. Both teams also come into tonight eager to end their cold stretch.