The Ottawa Senators’ most recent victory came against the Dallas Stars — nearly two weeks ago.
Looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat in their first contest on U.S. ice since March 2020, the visiting Senators try to hand the Stars a third consecutive loss on Friday night.
Ottawa opened this season by winning two of three, but have dropped three straight by a total of four goals since winning 3-2 over Dallas on Oct. 17. Now, the Senators take to the road for just the second time this season, and will make their first stop south of the Canadian border since losing 3-2 at Los Angeles on March 11, 2020.
“It’ll be a good chance for us to get together,” coach D.J. Smith told the Senators’ official website. “You’re seeing more and more road teams winning games.”
That’s the ideal plan on this three-game trip for the Senators, who’ve either scored or allowed three or fewer goals in their first seven games before falling 7-5 to Washington on Monday. Coming off a career season with 17 goals and 17 assists in 56 games in 2020-21, Ottawa’s Drake Batherson netted three of his four goals this season against the Capitals.
“He’s one of our best forwards and one of the best players on our team,” Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot said. “The poise he has, he’s special.”
Batherson was held off the scoresheet against Dallas earlier this month, but teammate Chris Tierney recorded two of his four goals in that contest. Tierney also scored Monday.
Meanwhile, the Senators have already used three goalies this season. Matt Murray suffered a head injury last weekend, Anton Forsberg has allowed 11 goals in four games and Filip Gustavsson stopped 32 of 34 shots he saw against the Stars in his lone start of the campaign.
Dallas followed that loss to Ottawa with back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, but has since dropped two in a row. The Stars blew a late 2-1 lead Wednesday, then fell 3-2 in overtime to Vegas at home.
All but two of Dallas’ seven games this season have been decided by one goal. However, the Stars have not tallied more than three goals in a game this season and are just 3 for 18 on the power play.
“You know, goals are hard to come by in this league,” said forward Luke Glendening, one of four players tied for the team lead with two goals.
“There’s going to be a lot of tight games, and we’ll just continue to work on that and keep getting better.”
Dallas star Joe Pavelski’s only goal this season came against Ottawa. Two games later, he recorded his only assist thus far.
Braden Holtby has a 2.04 goals-against average and is 2-2-0 in five starts this season, while Dallas teammate Anton Khudobin is 1-1-1 with a 2.68 GAA. Khudobin made 24 saves in the loss to Ottawa.
The Stars have won two straight over the Senators at home, though this will be their first meeting in Dallas since October 2019.
–Field Level Media
