Game Preview: Ottawa Senators @ Pittsburgh Penguins 1/11/2025

The Senators are looking to snap a four-game losing streak in a game that will impact the Wild Card race.

Who: Ottawa Senators (19-18-3, 41 points, 7th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (18-17-8 44 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

How to Watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh for the local market, TVAS, TSN5 up north, streaming on ESPN+

Pens’ Path Ahead: The homestead continues Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by another home game Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.

Opponent Track: The Sens are riding a four-game losing streak into tonight’s game. They’ve scored a total of four goals over that stretch and most recently were shut out 4-0 by the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

Season Series: Kris Letang’s third-period goal sent things to overtime before Brady Tkachuk won it for the Sens in a 3-2 decision in Ottawa on Dec. 14. These two teams will meet for a final time on March 30.

Hidden Stat: The Pens have lost two straight home games to the Sens, but are 13-2-1 in their last 16 against Ottawa at PPG Paints, per the team.

Hidden Stat II: The Senators have one regulation win in their last nine games.

Getting to know the Senators

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Brady Tkachuk - Shane Pinto - Ridly Greig

Claude Giroux - Tim Stützle - Drake Batherson

Nick Cousins - Josh Norris - Adam Gaudette

Cole Reinhardt - Zack Ostapchuk - Noah Gregor

DEFENSEMEN

Thomas Chabot / Nick Jensen

Jake Sanderson / Artem Zub

Tyler Kleven / Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies: Anton Forsberg, Leevi Merilainen

Potential Scratches: Noah Gregor

IR: David Perron, Michael Amadio, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Travis Hamonic, Linus Ullmark

• Sens netminder Anton Forsberg is 0-2-1 with a .861 save percentage since returning from a lower-body injury last week. Linus Ullmark is week-to-week with a back injury, so the Senators either need to stick with Forsberg or turn to Leevi Merilainen and his six prior games of NHL experience.

The Senators will need to hope Forsberg can bounce back soon. If he doesn’t, the team could consider making a deal for another backup goalie while waiting for Ullmark to return.

Player stats

(via hockeydb)

• The Senators signed Ridly Greig to a four-year, $13 million AAV extension rather than looking to move him ahead of the trade deadline or allowing him to hit restricted free agency this summer.

Greig has played at both center and wing in the past, which is where the significance of the signing lies. Per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, the Senators “have studied the market” for center Josh Norris, and could use Greig to fill in for him if he’s moved.

Norris has been connected to trade rumors throughout the season, but his trade market could be limited by his contract. He’s signed at a $7.95 AAV through 2029-30.

• It’s been a tough stretch for the Sens, who had played nine straight games on the road, then returned home on Thursday only to get shut out by the Sabres and booed off the ice.

Now they’re back on the road for the tenth time in 11 games, and riding a four-game losing streak to boot.

Sens captain Brady Tkachuk said last Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars was “embarrassing hockey.” The slump has only continued from there, with 4-0 shutouts by the Blues and Sabres bookending an overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.

Senators coaches brought the team together for team meeting on Friday. TSN’s Claire Hanna said the meeting was seen as a “chance for players to air out some of their frustrations.”

It’s crunch time for the Senators, who need to stop the skid now to stay in the race for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot. Speaking of...

• It’s still crowded.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust

Michael Bunting - Cody Glass or Evgeni Malkin - Anthony Beauvillier

Drew O’Connor - Kevin Hayes - Jesse Puljujarvi

Matt Nieto - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Marcus Pettersson / Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk / Erik Karlsson

Owen Pickering / P.O. Joseph

Goalies: Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic

Potential Scratches: Ryan Shea, Ryan Graves, Evgeni Malkin (day-to-day undisclosed upper body injury)

IR: Philip Tomasino

• Malkin practiced on Friday, but was swapping in with Cody Glass on the second line. He was wearing a regular jersey, and Mike Sullivan said he’s still considered day-to-day, all per Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop.