After last night's 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Ottawa Senators fell to 18-15-2 on the season. With now riding a two-game losing streak, the Senators now prepare to play their final game of 2024 against the Minnesota Wild.
From the top team in the Central Division last night, to the second best team in the division tonight on the road on a back-to-back might sound brutal, but it's a challenge that the Senators must face.
Senators play Wild in final game of 2024
The Senators travel to Xcel Energy Center to play the Wild with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Tonight is the first meeting of the season between the Senators and Wild.
Against the Jets, the Senators once had a promising start up 2-0 just 4:03 into the second period, but then it turned ugly. Mads Sogaard allowed two goals each in the second period and third period. Tim Stutzle and Ridly Greig each scored a powerplay goal for the Senators. Last night marked the first time in five road games that the Senators scored a powerplay goal on the road.
Last night was Sogaard's first NHL start since March 6, 2024, and his second appearance this season. Sogaard is still having a hard time with playing in the NHL after last night's loss. In the loss against the Jets, Sogaard made 19 saves.
As for the Wild, they come into tonight's game with a 22-10-4 record. The Wild have won their past two games to head into tonight with momentum.
Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 23 goals, 27 assists and 50 points. After Kaprizov, the Wild's next leading scorer is Matt Boldy with 31 points. The Wild have gotten strong goaltending play from Filip Gustavsson who has a 16-5-3 record with a 2.26 goals against average and .922 save percentage this season.
The Senators have not fared well against the Wild in recent memory. Since the 2016-17 season, the Wild have beaten the Senators 12 out of 14 times. Last season, the Senators did split their season series against the Wild, but the Wild have given the Senators problems in the past.