The Ottawa Senators' hot and impressive March continued this past Saturday when they swept the three-game season series against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-2 win in Toronto. Now, a team that is chasing the Senators in the Eastern Conference standings awaits, the Montreal Canadiens.
The first two meetings against the Candiens both resulted in rough results for the Senators. However, the Senators will hope the third time is the charm against the Canadiens.
Sens take on Habs in Montreal
The Senators travel to Bell Centre to take on the Canadiens with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
On Saturday night against the hated Maple Leafs, the Senators earned their sixth consecutive win to remain in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 77 points. After trailing 2-1 in the second period, David Perron and Claude Giroux each scored a goal in a 1:52 span to give the Senators a 3-2 lead heading into the intermission.
Behind Linus Ullmark making 11 saves in the third period and finishing the game with 21 saves, Ullmark helped locked down his 18th win of the season. Michael Amadio's empty-net goal in the final seconds was the icing on the game.
Not many expected the Senators to be 36-25-5 on the season after the win on Saturday, but the Senators continue to shock many people. The Senators have earned 15 of a possible 16 points in March with going 7-0-1 in the month.
As for the Canadiens, they come into tonight's game with a 32-27-7 record. The Canadiens are still in the playoff hunt with 71 points, and currently trail the Senators by six points in the standings. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off concluded, the Canadiens have posted a 7-1-2 record.
Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 69 goals and 49 assists. Cole Caufield leads the Canadiens with 33 goals and is second on the team with 61 points.
Both games for the Senators against the Candiens this season have been a disaster. In the first meeting on Oct. 12 in Montreal, the Senators fell 4-1. In the second meeting on Feb. 22 in Ottawa, the Senators fell 5-2. Ullmark started both games and allowed in all nine Montreal goals. In the meeting in Ottawa, Ullmark was pulled after allowing in five goals on 15 shots on goal.