Welcome to another edition of NHL Predictions presented by us here at Last Word on Hockey! Today, we feature the Ottawa Senators as they look to continue their surge up the NHL’s Eastern Conference standings, as they host the Minnesota Wild . The Wild are battling for the playoffs in the Central Division, while Ottawa’s latest stretch has them in a good position as well. So, just who has the upper edge in this Saturday night clash in the Canadian national capital?
NHL Predictions Minnesota Wild at Ottawa Senators from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario
Start Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV Coverage: Sportsnet One, TVA Sports
The two teams met in Minnesota in late in 2024, and since then the teams are in slightly different directions. We say slightly because Ottawa did struggle for a stretch, including being shutout in a span of 11 games a frustrating five times. Many of their forwards are in a slump as a result, however, it appears the tide is turning. The Sens are 7-2-1 in their last ten and Minnesota is 5-5-0. Also, this games features the prospective matchup between the old and the new, as Filip Gustavsson goes up against Leevi Merilainen , the old Sens goaltender prospect versus the latest goalie to emerge as the future of the net in the home of the Rideau Canal.
The Ottawa Senators organization is still mourning the loss of a special figure in the greater hockey community. You know they still want to play for the one they called Simmer, former Sens reporter, Shawn Simpson.
How Will the Sens Attack the Wild?
Even though the Sens have struggled to score recently, they’ve been finding ways to get it done. What has been very impressive has been this incredible movement up the conference standings that has been achieved without their Vezina-calibre starter, Linus Ullmark . He remains out since December, but will be back before Sens fans know it.
Players to keep an eye for out for Ottawa in this edition of NHL predictions include Jake Sanderson . He has a goal and three assists to power the team offensively with four points in their past five contests. He’s up to three goals and 26 assists in 50 games played on the season, and mans the club’s number-one power play unit. The Sens are a hard team to play against this year, which hasn’t always been the case over the past few campaigns. Sanderson’s speed on the backend is a solid contributor to that reputation. Look for them to want to push hard to beat their former highly-rated goaltending prospect.
What About Minnesota’s Side of the Puck
One main storyline is their superstar Kirill Kaprizov . Will he get it going, after recently missing a month of action . He has two assists in the three games since his return from injury. Minnesota relies on him powering the offence, and he will be a big part of them getting out of this current lull they find themselves in.
One player who has not been in a funk as of lately is Marco Rossi . Rossi has picked it up while Kaprizov was out, and is up to 46 points on the season. That is good for second on the team in scoring, trailing Kaprizov, who has 52. Furthermore, Rossi has been hot with a goal and five assists in the club’s previous four outings.
The Tail of the Tape in Net
Assuming that the proposed lineups are aligned with reality, let’s study Merilainen and Gustavsson’s numbers. You could make an argument for either side, so going with your home side will not steer your astray.
| Name | Record | GAA | SV% | GSAx |
| Merilainen | 7-3-1 | 2.19 | .921 | 5.9 |
| Gustavsson | 20-10-3 | 2.56 | .914 | 13.3 |
NHL Predictions: Wild and Senators
The Sens are the hotter of the two, and are incredibly hungry as an organization for a playoff spot. This is February, and a home game, they want the two points. Kirill and company better bring it if they want the two points.
Prediction: Ottawa wins in regulation, 3-2.
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Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA TODAY Sports
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