The Ottawa Senators close out their pre-Christmas schedule with a critical four-point swing game against the Buffalo Sabres, a matchup that carries extra weight in a brutally tight division where every team sits at .500 or better.

Both teams enter with momentum. The Senators have won four straight and sit at 6-4-0 over their last ten games, while the Sabres arrive even hotter with six consecutive victories. Something’s got to give.

For Ottawa, this game also comes with a chance at revenge. The Senators were embarrassed 8-4 against the Sabres earlier this season and haven’t beaten Buffalo since March 2024, dropping five straight to their division rivals in a matchup that has increasingly felt like a mental hurdle as much as a standings problem.

Them

The Sabres are rolling into town feeling confident after a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, spoiling the return of Jack Hughes in the process.

Their return to form has been a dramatic shift after starting the season with a whimper. A major factor has been a resurgence in goal, as Buffalo’s tandem has posted a combined .931 save percentage over the last six games.

Alex Lyon, the Sabres’ starter tonight, has appeared in seven games against the Senators but has only factored into the decision in four of them. He owns a 2-1-1 record against Ottawa with a .899 save percentage. This season, Lyon has put together a solid showing for Buffalo, posting an 8-6-3 record and a .906 save percentage.

Adding intrigue to tonight’s matchup is the return of Josh Norris to Ottawa. The fan-favourite former Senator makes his return for the first time since the trade that sent him and Jacob Bernard-Docker to Buffalo in exchange for Dylan Cozens and a 2026 second-round pick. Norris missed the start of the Sabres’ season with injury but has made up for lost time with 10 points in nine games since returning to action.

Us

The Senators enter on a high after one of their most complete performances of the season, dismantling the Bruins 6-2. Scoring hasn’t been an issue lately, and Linus Ullmark just earned second star of the week honours after going 3-0-0, with a 1.32 GAA and .940 SV%. When your goaltender catches fire in December, good things happen.

Tim Stützle continues to drive Ottawa’s offensive resurgence, riding a seven-game point streak with 15 points over his last ten games. He’s been the engine of this run, flashing the elite playmaking that makes him one of the Atlantic’s most dangerous players.

Fabian Zetterlund is also starting to look like the top-six forward the Senators paid for. After a slow start that saw him bounce around the lineup, he’s found the net eight times in his last 16 games. With Brady Tkachuk returning to pre-injury form, the top line is rolling.

Ullmark, who is starting for Ottawa, has a middling record (4-3-0) versus his former club but a strong save percentage (.918). Two of those losses came as a Senator, part of a broader trend that has seen Ottawa snakebitten against the Sabres. A Christmas miracle to flip that script would be most welcome.

Watch on RDS2/TSN5, or listen at TSN 1200/104.7 Outaouais @ 7:00 PM E.T.

Senators Projected Lines

Tkachuk – Stützle – Zetterlund

Perron – Cozens – Batherson

Amadio – Greig – Giroux

MacDermid – Halliday – Cousins

Sanderson – Zub

Chabot – Spence

Matinpalo – Jensen

Ullmark

Injured: Shane Pinto (lower body), Lars Eller (foot), Tyler Kleven (ankle)

Scratched: Olle Lycksell, Dennis Gilbert

Sabres Projected Lines

Krebs – Thompson – Doan

Östlund – Norris – Tuch

Benson – McLeod – Quinn

Rosén – Dunne – Malenstyn

Samuelsson – Dahlin

Power – Kesselring

Byram – Metsa

Lyon

Injured: Jason Zucker (lower body), Colten Ellis (concussion), Connor Timmins (leg), Tyson Kozak (upper body), Jiri Kulich (blood clots)

Scratched: Jordan Greenway, Jacob Bryson