Senators Aim for Third Straight Win Against Struggling Bruins

BOSTON, Mass. — The Ottawa Senators (24-19-4) will face the Boston Bruins (23-20-6) on Thursday night at TD Garden, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. The Senators, who lead the season series 2-0, are looking to extend their dominance over the Bruins, who have struggled recently, losing eight of their last 11 games.

Ottawa enters the game after a 5-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday, snapping a two-game win streak. The Senators have been shut out four times in their last 10 games, highlighting offensive struggles. Meanwhile, Boston is coming off a 5-1 defeat to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, where they were outshot 35-23. The Bruins have scored one or fewer goals in four of their last 10 games.

Goaltending will be a key factor in Thursday’s matchup. Ottawa’s rookie netminder Leevi Merilainen (6-3-1, 2.32 GAA, .914 SV%) has started six of the last seven games due to an injury to starter Linus Ullmark. Merilainen allowed five goals in a recent game against Boston but stopped all three shootout attempts to secure a 6-5 victory. For the Bruins, Jeremy Swayman (15-16-4, 3.00 GAA, .896 SV%) was pulled after two periods in Wednesday’s loss, raising questions about who will start in goal. Backup Joonas Korpisalo (8-4-2, 2.88 GAA, .891 SV%) could step in if Swayman is unavailable.

“He was dealing with something minor, so we thought it best to get him out of there after the second period,” Bruins coach Joe Sacco said regarding Swayman’s early exit.

Ottawa has won five of its last seven games, holding opponents to two or fewer goals in six of those contests. The Senators have also been strong on the road, winning three of their last four away games. Boston, on the other hand, is playing the second game of a back-to-back, which could impact their performance.

Betting trends favor the Senators, who have hit the Under in nine of their last 10 games. The Under is 11-1-2 in Ottawa’s last 14 games, with the team scoring three or fewer goals in eight of their last 10. Boston has allowed three or fewer goals in three of its last five games, but their offensive struggles make the Under a strong consideration.

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