Senators Eye Momentum as Slumping Mammoth Come to Town
It’s a chilly night in Ottawa, and the stage is set for a Sunday showdown as the Ottawa Senators host the Utah Mammoth — a team that’s suddenly gone cold after an impressive start to their season. This matchup, scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the Canadian Tire Centre, is more than just another regular-season game. It’s a story of two teams heading in different directions — one quietly finding its rhythm, and the other struggling to regain early-season form.
The Mammoth, who started their campaign with a blistering 8–2 record, have stumbled lately, losing four of their last five. Once known for their offensive dominance, Utah now looks like a team searching for answers. Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens was particularly rough — they surrendered five unanswered goals in a 6–2 defeat. That loss exposed some cracks in their defense and goaltending, as Karel Vejmelka allowed six goals on just 23 shots. So tonight, it’s expected that Vitek Vanecek will take over the crease in an attempt to stabilize things.
For Utah, the offensive burden will once again fall on their top line — Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Nick Schmaltz. Schmaltz, who once torched the Senators with a seven-point night, currently leads the Mammoth with eight goals and ten assists. Cooley, fresh off signing a massive eight-year, $80 million extension, remains one of the NHL’s most exciting young players. Head coach André Tourigny, who once served behind Ottawa’s bench and led the Ottawa 67’s, will be looking for a strong response from his group.
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On the other side, the Senators are coming off a hard-fought 3–2 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Flyers — their third straight overtime game. Despite blowing a 2–0 lead and going nearly half a game without registering a shot, Ottawa still managed to pull through thanks to Tim Stutzle’s heroics. Stutzle netted the game-winner, his second of the night, off a smooth setup from Drake Batherson — a fitting redemption after Batherson’s costly mistake in overtime the previous week.
The Senators are quietly stringing together points, losing only once in regulation over their last nine games. While their offense hasn’t always been explosive, it’s been timely. Shane Pinto and Stutzle are now tied for the team lead in goals, and veteran Claude Giroux continues to provide steady leadership on and off the ice.
With Ottawa playing its second game in as many nights, goaltender Leevi Merilainen is likely to get the start after Linus Ullmark’s solid outing against the Flyers. The Senators have also called up Hayden Hodgson from Belleville, suggesting that someone may be nursing an injury after Saturday’s battle.
For the Mammoth, this matchup is an opportunity to snap out of their recent funk and prove that their early success wasn’t a fluke. For the Senators, it’s about momentum — keeping their confidence rolling as they inch up the standings.
So as the puck drops tonight, expect an energetic battle between a desperate Utah squad and an Ottawa team learning how to win — even when it’s not pretty.
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