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Senators Kick Off 2025 With Lousy Performances

The Ottawa Senators were one of the NHL's hottest teams in December, but are yet to have the same luck in the new year.

Nick Horwat

Jan 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Ottawa Senators right wing Claude Giroux (28) looks on after St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (20) scored his third goal of the game for a hat trick during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Jan 3, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Ottawa Senators right wing Claude Giroux (28) looks on after St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (20) scored his third goal of the game for a hat trick during the third period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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Just when everyone thought the Ottawa Senators were getting hot and possibly pushing towards a playoff berth, they hit a few bumps in the road. The Senators opened 2025 with games on back-to-back nights and neither one went their way.

The Senators opened 2025 by traveling to take on the Dallas Stars, and even took a 2-1 lead early in the game. Despite the lead, the Senators game up three unanswered goals and lost by a score of 4-2.

With only 13 total shots on goal against the Stars and just two in the final frame, the Senators were pretty down on themselves. Captain Brady Tkachuk was not happy with how he or his team played in the second half of the brutal loss.

“Embarrassing hockey,” Tkachuk said. “Just unacceptable.”

Tkachuk knew, however, their loss to Dallas was the first half of a back-to-back situation, and the Senators were off to visit the St. Louis Blues in their first game after blowing out the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2025 NHL Winter Classic.

“Thank god we play tomorrow,” Tkachuk said. “We’ll move on from this one quicker.”

The Senators may have moved on, but their poor play lingered around. The Blues defeated the Senators with a 4-0 shutout.

Blues forward Brandon Saad was the star of the show posting the third hat trick of his career, and first since Opening Night of 2017.

The Senators recorded 20 total shots with Tkachuk picking up three.

Over the course of December, the Senators hit a new stride. They collected wins and found themselves holding down a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. With a 9-3-1 record, the Senators were one of the hottest teams in the NHL for the final month of 2024.

Those numbers are yet to translate in 2025, as the Pittsburgh Penguins have tied the Senators with 40 standings points.

Through 38 games, the Senators are 19-17-2, and luckily have two games in hand over the Penguins, helping them hold down their playoff spot for at least another day.

The Senators have a few days off now to regroup and try and get their wheels back on the tacks.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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