So much for the November scaries, at least this year.

With three games to spare, the 2025-26 Ottawa Senators have already matched their win total from last year in the previously dreaded month of November. Ottawa secured that fifth win on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks. They’ve already assured themselves of having fewer losses in the month than last year’s nine. And as of Wednesday morning, the Senators are the only Canadian team in a playoff spot presently.

It’s a considerable jump from last year, when Ottawa endured a five-game winless streak in November that shook the faith of many fans, considering the team’s playoff aspirations entering the season.

Sens’ Novembers since 2016

NHL seasonRecord

2025-26

5-2-3

2024-25

5-8-1

2023-24

4-5-0

2022-23

4-9-1

2021-22

1-10-1

2020-21

N/A

2019-20

8-8-0

2018-19

7-7-1

2017-18

3-7-1

2016-17

9-5-1

Even if head coach Travis Green and GM Steve Staios weren’t around for that, it feels like they’re still cast with that burden of this month being a make-or-break time of year. Days ago, when Green was asked what made November so much different from other months in the schedule, he responded: “Allergies?”

“I have no idea,” Green said. “I’m not worried about any time before I got here. I’m worried about today, worried about tomorrow. Not trying to analyze what’s happened the last seven or eight years.”

Through 10 games this November, the Senators have lost in regulation twice. Strangely, both were one-goal losses to the Los Angeles Kings. Had they beaten the Kings on Tuesday, it would’ve been their first sweep of the California road trip in a decade. But they still left a mark with two wins out of a possible three.

“I think (the Senators) roll four lines and their six D,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “They move pucks. They defend with urgency and purpose. I don’t think they really beat themselves with neutral zone turnovers. They don’t beat themselves in general. It’s a good team. One of the better teams we’ve seen this year.”

Of course, Ottawa’s good run of fortune hasn’t resulted in perfection in every area of their game. The Senators’ power play has operated at 11.5 percent, the second-worst rate among teams in November. And while they’ve gotten production from their best players, Ottawa has scored 26 goals so far this month, tied for the third-fewest in the league with Los Angeles, the New Jersey Devils and the Winnipeg Jets. Only the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators have scored fewer.

Numbers like these only further Ottawa’s need for another goal scorer ahead of the trade deadline in March.

But in totality, Ottawa’s November success is trending in the right direction. And there are a few reasons why, including some early-season struggles that are starting to turn for the better.

The Senators’ penalty kill is getting better

On the surface, Ottawa’s penalty kill remains in the basement at 69.8 percent. The Senators started the season with poor play while down a man, and it’s taken them some time to recover. The good news, however, is that they’ve been operating at an 80.8 percent clip since Nov. 1, tied for 15th-best in the league. The Senators allowed 14 power-play goals in October, the most of any team in the NHL. That number has dropped to five in November.

Also, from here on out, the Senators’ penalty kill can be referred to as a hybrid style instead of a full-on diamond. There is clear evidence that the Senators are adjusting on the fly, depending on whichever power-play formation they encounter.

Take a look at the Senators’ penalty-kill formation against the Sharks, where they have three attacking players up top and two others along the blue line — also known as the 3-2 spread. (Also, keep an eye out for the Sens player who breaks up the Macklin Celebrini pass attempt from along the wall.)

Now, contrast that to the Senators’ setup against the Kings on Monday, where the Kings ran a 1-3-1 power-play spread (one forward by the goal line, three players across the middle of the offensive zone, and one player at the blue line). The Senators, in response, deployed a diamond formation, with Artem Zub playing the closest to goaltender Leevi Meriläinen.

For weeks, the Senators have insisted that they were improving on the penalty kill. It’s not perfect. But they’ve improved in that regard.

“We haven’t done a whole lot of wholesale changes,” Green told The Athletic last week. “I think a lot of our players are getting better at the little, tiny details within the system. There’s a lot of situational reads that you have to make quick decisions, and I just feel like they’re recognizing those plays quicker and better.”

The Senators’ best players are committing to both ends of the ice

Even if Ottawa’s offence hasn’t been among the league’s most potent this month, its best players remain at the forefront. Centre Tim Stützle is leading the way in goals (six) and points (eight) through 10 games while maintaining a near point-per-game pace through 22 games.

Sens FWDs (min 7GP played in Nov.)

And if they’re not scoring, they’re defending. Entering Wednesday night’s action, forward Michael Amadio had the league’s best defensive rating among forwards according to Hockey Stat Cards. Both Amadio and linemate Shane Pinto are ranked in the top-10, while Claude Giroux has the team’s third-best defensive rating among forwards at 1.8.

Top Defensive Forwards pic.twitter.com/QxRoTPh2N5

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) November 25, 2025

The Senators’ defensive metrics are also noteworthy considering they allowed 47 goals in October, tied for second-worst in the league. By comparison, they’ve only allowed 24 — fifth-best in November so far. Ottawa also has the 12th-best percentages in Corsi and expected goals percentage this month, according to Natural Stat Trick.

“Our five-on-five game defensively has been very sound,” Green said. “And it’s probably a big reason why we’re sitting where we’re at with some of the injuries we’ve had.

“I think we have a game that we can fall back to, which is important.”

Senators goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen have improved in recent games. (Marc DesRosiers / Imagn Images)

The goaltending has gotten better

On Wednesday, Nov. 7, Linus Ullmark let it be known that he didn’t give two “s—s” about what people outside his locker room said about his play. Days later, his general manager gave him a public vote of confidence.

Since Ullmark’s comments, the Swedish netminder is 3-1-2 with a .908 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average. He’s allowed more than two goals in just two of his last six appearances. By comparison, Ullmark was 5-4-2 in his first 11 appearances of the year with an .861 save percentage.

“I think his confidence in his game hasn’t, hasn’t wavered at all,” Senators goaltending coach Justin Peters said.

“His ability to read the play and read the games, read what’s going to happen in front of him. He’s such a smart goaltender, and he’s aware of all the situations.”

Meanwhile, Ullmark’s battery mate has also stepped up in recent games. Meriläinen’s preseason and first regular-season game left a lot to be desired. But the Finnish netminder has improved, too. The Senators have kept him fresh by sending him down to the Belleville Senators of the American League to make up for long stretches of not playing. He’s only appeared in four NHL games since that dreaded Sabres start, but his numbers are much better.

Leevi Meriläinen since Oct. 27

PlayerRecordGAASV%GSAA

3-1-0

2.27

.912

1.98

“Nice to see him play well,” Green said on Monday night after Meriläinen’s 20-save performance against the Kings.

“He’s at a stage where he’s still developing, right?” Peters said. “He’s earned the right to be here. But at the same time, we’ve got to make sure that we don’t hurt his development.

“He’s done a great job, and he’s earned the right to continue to play. And we’re going to get him in there.”

The Senators’ goaltending turning around is good news for this roster as they await the returns to the lineup of Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot. While some details still need ironing out, the Senators are still holding themselves up fine through a quarter of their season.

— Statistics from NHL.com, Natural Stat Trick, HockeyStatCards and Hockey-Reference