The Colorado Avalanche wasted no time asserting their dominance against the Ottawa Senators, clinching a decisive 5-1 victory at the Canadian Tire Centre on March 20, 2025. The win pushes the Avalanche to an impressive 9-1-1 record in their last eleven games.
Faced with the pressing need to retain their playoff position, the Senators experienced a horrifying setback that has left their postseason ambitions in jeopardy. This loss marked the Senators’ second consecutive defeat, following a six-game winning streak, and represented their worst performance of the season.
Fans at the arena watched on in disbelief as the game unfolded; the Avalanche scored four goals in a mere seven minutes during the first period. Nathan MacKinnon, who opened the scoring at 10:29, ignited the offensive fire, quickly followed by Brock Nelson, who netted his first two goals since being acquired from the New York Islanders on March 6. The Avalanche’s Cale Makar and Joel Kiviranta rounded out the scoring in the period, with Ullmark ultimately being pulled from the game after letting in four goals on just 13 shots in the opening frame.
Ullmark’s struggles echoed through the Senators' lineup, with Anton Forsberg stepping in for relief after Ullmark was yanked from the ice at 17:29. “There are probably a couple of goals he’d like to have back,” said Avalanche Coach Travis Green about Ullmark’s performance. Forsberg, though more effective, couldn't stem the avalanche (pun intended), conceding one goal on 19 shots, adding to the defeat.
Despite the Senators’ initial push, registering the first six shots of the game, they were quickly overwhelmed. After MacKinnon’s opener, the Avalanche scored rapidly with goals from Nelson—a wrist shot that beat Ullmark glove-side at 11:28—and later from Makar, who scored a power-play goal at 14:23. Even after conceding, Ottawa struggled to recover, and when Kiviranta made it 4-0 with a close-range shot at 17:29, their chances of recovery seemed bleak.
The second period didn’t fare much better for the Senators. Nelson scored his second goal, redirecting an Artturi Lehkonen shot past Forsberg just 1:54 in, pushing the Avalanche lead to 5-0. The Senators finally found the net with a power-play goal from Dylan Cozens at 15:59 of the third period, alleviating some pressure, but it felt more like a consolation as they finished the game 5-1.
Throughout the game, it became alarmingly clear that the Senators were not exhibiting the urgency or desperation necessary for a team vying for a playoff position. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk lamented the inability to capitalise on opportunities, stating, “It sucks. You never want to lose big games down the stretch but it happens.” Tkachuk remained hopeful, asserting, “I know there will be a good response on Saturday.” Indeed, they will need a strong response as the Senators gear up to face the New Jersey Devils in their next matchup.
Moving into this decisive stretch of the season, Ottawa’s record now stands at 36-27-5. With only a handful of games left, they cling to hopes of maintaining a wild-card playoff spot, sitting only four points ahead of Montreal while trailing five points behind the New York Rangers.
While the Avalanche's top players shone, the Senators need to regroup quickly. Players like Cozens have recently demonstrated promise, with points in six of his last seven games since joining Ottawa. He now has three goals and three assists in that span, providing a silver lining amid the gloom of Thursday night’s loss.
As both teams prepare for their upcoming games—Colorado heads to Montreal and Ottawa to New Jersey—questions linger over Ottawa’s ability to bounce back from their dismal performance against one of the top teams in the NHL. Will they reclaim their early-season momentum, or has the defeat unveiled cracks in the foundation of their playoff push?
