Are the Sens… bad?
This team has made a habit, in recent years, of completely tanking their season in November then pulling themselves together at around this time of year, but this time it seems like they’re switching up the schedule. The team that showed up tonight was sloppy and careless and just all around kind of bad. Thankfully, the Devils were bad too, so it kind of evened out, but man, this has not been a fun stretch of hockey.
The game had barely started – literally, only 30 seconds had passed – when the Sens got their first powerplay. After how things went against St. Louis, this was hardly exciting news, and when the Devils got a shorthanded scoring opportunity early on, I’m sure I’m not the only fan who was worried this was going to be another frustrating game. The Sens proved me wrong, though, with Batherson scoring a gorgeous goal on the powerplay. 1-0 Ottawa.
Power play clicking early 🔥#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/sWvs7WmGiw
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 10, 2025
The Devils got a powerplay of their own almost immediately after that, and Ullmark was the best penalty killer by far. We were less than five minutes in and the game was already thrilling.
In fact, we were just past the five minute mark when the Devils rushed up the ice and got one past Ullmark. 1-1.
The pace of the game didn’t slow down in the slightest once the game was tied again. The Devils put pressure on the Sens’ defence for a bit, and then the play went back the other direction and Ottawa… scored?
Batherson kicked the puck up to his stick from behind the net, which is obviously fine and allowed, except the puck missed his stick and bounced off an opposing player into the net, and the refs decided that there was a distinct kicking motion. There definitely was a kicking motion, but at the same time, it feels like it should matter whether you’re kicking the puck toward the net or not.
Anyways, we were still tied, and the Sens got a powerplay pretty soon after the incident. This time Tim Stützle sent the puck five-hole from a distance. I feel like the goalie should have had that one, but Stützle needs the confidence booster, and I’m not about to complain about a goal. 2-1 Ottawa.
You absolutely will not believe who Tim tied on the #Sens all-time goal leaders list with this goal 👀 pic.twitter.com/3EE0UA8B7k
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 10, 2025
You really couldn’t look away from this game for one second. The teams kept trading chances through the first period, until New Jersey scored with about two minutes left. 2-2.
The two teams picked things up right where they left off in the second period. After a few chances for each team, our old friend Angus Crookshank got into a fight with his former teammate Tyler Kleven, sending the two teams to 4 on 4.
Unfortunately, things went badly for the Sens with the two players in the box. Spence tried to pass the puck to Stützle in the neutral zone and it got intercepted. The Devils player went right to the net to put his team up 3-2.
The Sens didn’t play very well after falling behind, but that wasn’t the last goal of the game, obviously. Batherson tapped another one past the goaltender, and we were all tied up once again. 3-3.
Ok now hear us out: Bobby scores twice, Jimmy Stu scores once and gets an assist on Bobby’s goal… Jim Bob connection?!?! pic.twitter.com/szLeIDSxCq
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) December 10, 2025
After that goal, one very confused fan threw a hat onto the ice. I’d love to know if they missed Batherson’s second goal going in, if they confused 18 for 19 on the actual second goal, or if this was a protest against the refs’ ridiculous decision to call the earlier goal back.
The rest of the second period was just as silly and all over the place as the entire game had been. We were tied heading into the final frame.
Things slowed down a bit in the third, with both teams clearly open to the idea of overtime. Of course, that didn’t stop the weird bounces around the net. At one point Brady Tkachuk tripped over the goaltender (as one does) and got called for goaltender interference. Personally, if I was a goaltender and I saw Brady Tkachuk barreling toward me, I’d simply move out of the way, but I guess I’m built different.
Of course, with just under ten minutes left, another giveaway ended up in the back of the Sens’ net. 4-3 New Jersey.
Ottawa pushed hard for the equalizer, but couldn’t get it done even with the net empty. They fell by one goal in regulation, again.
Notable performancesI’m glad they appear to have fixed the powerplay. Hopefully this sticks and we don’t go back to whatever the hell was going on on Saturday.Obviously, Batherson was player of the game.Brady Tkachuk was very noticeable in front of the net, as he tends to be.Tyler Kleven had a shocking amount of shots and shot attempts, but he was also responsible for the winning goal, so it’s impossible to know if he had a good game or not.Pretty much everyone else was bad!Gameflow
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