Is the season really over? Have we hit rock bottom and the only way forward is to go up?
After the loss against the Nashville Predators, many fans (including myself) threw in the towel. It’s one thing watching the team lose, but another when they are constantly letting 2-3 goal deficits disappear.
It is not secret that goaltending is an issue but it’s also our special teams, the careless defensive plays and the many players who offensively are simply not even contributing. No matter the reason, with 31 games left and everyone in the division winning what seams like all their games, the Sens have a very small margin for error if any. It’s hard to imagine this team making the playoffs at this point but getting points this weekend will be crucial to even entertain the thought.
Tonight’s game is the annual Star Wars game which is always fun for fans but more improtantly, it is the the Jacques Martin induction ceremony into the Sens Ring of Honour. Martin has been a cornerstone for the franchise since its early beginnings and tonight will without a doubt be a special moment.
After his abysmal performance against the Predators, James Reimer will once again get the start tonight with the remaining projected lineup looking as follows:
Our projected lines tonight against Carolina 💪#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/nZ5Y9fxLj3
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) January 24, 2026
Game NotesThe penalty kill has been the team’s Achilles heel all season but at this point it is costing them the season, the Senators announced today that Mike Yeo will be taking over the PK unit over Nolan Baumgartner hoping that a new voice will ignite a “spark”.The power play is another area that could save the Sens season and at this point it’s mindboggling that the personnel on both these units cannot consistently convert on their chances. If they score on 50% of their power play chances tonight, I say they have a good chance at winning.The Carolina Hurricanes are 14th on the PK, still really good stats but the Sens can definitely break through on the power play.Stephen Halliday scored his first goal last game, can he keep the momentum going and continue to impress management?Goaltending is an issue that will not be resolved tonight so the Sens need to find a way to heavily outscore their opponent, but can they do that against the third-best team in the league?Linus Ullmark is back in practice with the Sens and could possible play tomorrow although it is not confirmed so if the Sens can get through tonight, and maybe get a fresh performance from Ullmark to save them tomorrow.Shane Pinto, Drake Batherson and Claude Giroux have played decent hockey but nowhere near the level this team needs them to be. The team needs a big game from at least one of them tonight.The Sens don’t do necessarily well on ceremonial nights, let’s hope they change the tides tonight for Jacques Martin.The Carolina Hurricanes are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and are coming off a shootout loss against the Blackhawks while the Sens are 3-5-2.The Sens are 7 points away from the last wildcard spot with a game in hand, that spot is currently held by the Boston Bruins who will be playing the Montreal Canadiens tonight.You can catch the game at 7:00 pm EST on Sportsnet One, City TV or Listen Live on TSN 1200.