On March 5, 2025, the Ottawa Senators clashed with the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center, as both teams faced pivotal moments of their respective seasons. With the Ottawa Senators hovering just below playoff contention and aiming to snap out of their recent slump, they were intensely focused on securing a victory against the last-place Blackhawks.
Coming off back-to-back victories, including a decisive 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings just days earlier, the Blackhawks entered the match with optimism. The young star Connor Bedard, who had been experiencing issues finding the back of the net—suffering from a six-game pointless streak—needed to capitalize on this opportunity to regain his scoring touch.
The puck dropped at 7:30 p.m. ET, marking the first meeting of the season between these two teams. The Senators were hopeful, as they took the ice with several key players returning from injury, including captain Brady Tkachuk and standout centers Josh Norris and Shane Pinto. Their return sparked hope for the Senators, who had struggled, dropping six of their last seven contests, severely impacting their playoff aspirations.
Despite their recent form, Ottawa managed to put up strong offensive numbers, scoring nine times over their past two games. They sought to continue this trend against the Blackhawks and were ranked 22nd in the league for goals per game at just 2.82. With the playoff race heating up, even slight improvements could be the difference for the Senators, who were eagerly eyeing their shot at the second wild-card spot.
On the other side, the Blackhawks struggled defensively, allowing the third-most goals per game and ranking low (43.8%) on the Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 situations. This statistic made them vulnerable, and Ottawa knew it could leverage this weakness for their benefit. Ottawa's strategy would require consistent offense matched with strong goaltending from Linus Ullmark. The Senators’ goalie boasted solid stats, posting a .911 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average, setting high expectations for his performance against the underwhelming Chicago offense.
With this backdrop, the Senators took to the ice not just to win but to reaffirm their status as contenders. They couldn’t overlook their record against the Blackhawks, which showed historical struggles; Ottawa had only won 11 out of 42 encounters since their inception. Despite this, there was genuine optimism as they looked to flip the script.
New adjustments by the Senators featured Colton Dach on the first line with Bedard as Anders Sorensen aimed to galvanize his young star. Although Dach's recent play against the Kings had been promising—he led the team with five hits—the question remained whether he was truly suited to play alongside Bedard.
Ottawa, meanwhile, was not without its challenges. With injuries sidelining Nick Cousins and Tyler Klevin, depth players needed to rise to the occasion. The urgency to secure these two points was palpable, considering Ottawa was just above the bottom of the playoff picture, trailing the second wild card by merely one point.
The Senators had their eyes firmly fixed on tangible improvements, having come off their most recent game—a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals—where they demonstrated their potential offensively. If momentum was to favor them, it had to start now against Chicago.
According to recent betting trends, the odds favored Ottawa, with Pinnacle listing them at -202. The apparent line movement indicated confidence from the betting public, which echoed the sentiment of several analysts, predicting the Senators would find success due to the Blackhawks’ defensive inefficiencies.
The Senators’ firepower was also manifesting through strong individual performances by their star players. Tim Stutzle was leading the charge with 63 points, closely followed by Drake Batherson and Brady Tkachuk, who had 47 and 46 points, respectively. Jake Sanderson rounded out the pack with solid production as well, creating high expectations on the offensive front.
Match day predictions had Ottawa clinching the victory with many expecting the game to feature fewer goals, pointing out both teams' well-documented struggles to score. The Senators were noted to have successfully hit the game total Under in 28 out of their last 47 away games, showing their recent propensity for low-scoring affairs. The final betting lines supported this analysis by steadily pushing the Over/Under total to 6.0.
During the game, the Senators' dynamic roster changes began to show promise, though they also experienced setbacks. Defenceman Thomas Chabot would exit early due to illness after playing 14 minutes—his absence would test Ottawa's blue line depth. Chabot had showcased his importance to the Senators, contributing significantly with five goals and 25 assists, proving pivotal to the team’s overall success.
While the stakes were high and tension palpable, both teams prepared for what promised to be an exciting match. With playoff aspirations on the line, the Senators pursued victory as the home crowd at the United Center backed their Chicago team with the hope of adding another win to their recent success.
Fans tuned in live through various streaming and television options including Sportsnet and TVAS, with many eager to see how this version of the Senators would fare against their long-time rivals, Chicago. The game not only presented a pivotal turn for the Senators but also gave both teams the chance to openly express their fighting spirit amid the competitive atmosphere of the NHL.