After last night's pivotal 3-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home, the Ottawa Senators are now at 83 points on the season and still holding the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Now, another pivotal game to close out March awaits against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
March has been a hot month for the Senators with posting a 10-3-1 record, but in order to get closer to clinching a spot in the 2025 playoffs, a win in the Steel City will be needed.
Sens face Pens in Pittsburgh
The Senators travel to PPG Paints Arena to take on the Penguins with puck drop scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Today is the third and final meeting of the season against the Penguins for the Senators.
Last night saw the Senators gain another big win when it mattered a lot against the Blue Jackets. With the win, the Senators are eight points ahead of the Blue Jackets in the standings.
Ridly Greig, Drake Batherson and Jake Sanderson each scored for the Senators. Greig and Shane Pinto each recorded a two-point night, and Linus Ullmark made 28 saves to earn his third consecutive win.
Greig set a new career-high with 28 points in a season and Pinto recorded his 100th career point as well in the win.
As for the Penguins, they come into today's game with a 29-34-11 record. The Penguins have lost four of their last five games with the most recent being a 7-3 loss on Thursday night to the Buffalo Sabres.
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins with 80 points and 54 assists. Rickard Rakell leads the Penguins with 32 goals. Bryan Rust and Crosby are each tied for second on the Penguins with 26 goals. Twelve Penguins have a rating of -14 or worse.
The Senators won the first two games against the Penguins this season. In the first meeting on Dec. 14 in Ottawa, the Senators won 3-2 thanks to a Brady Tkachuk overtime winner. In the second meeting in Pittsburgh on Jan. 11, Leevi Merilainen recorded his first NHL shutout in the Senators' 5-0 win.