By Canadian Press

Senators’ defence appears ready for a playoff challenge

Apr 6, 2025 | 7:03 PM

OTTAWA — It has been said that defence wins championships, but one must first make the playoffs before that can happen.

The Ottawa Senators, who beat the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Sunday, are one win away from qualifying for the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2017. The way they have played their last three games, the defence appears ready for the post-season challenge.

In the Senators last three games, while allowing a total of 102 combined shots, they have allowed just one goal and are currently on a shutout streak that is now at 153 minutes. The last goal they allowed came at the 17-minute mark of the second period three games ago.

“Lately we haven’t made as many immature mistakes. We don’t force plays as much as we did earlier in the season and we take what’s there. If there’s no play we chip it out and live to fight another day,” said Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark. “Those are the things we are doing a better job at.

“We’re doing a better job of being in position six on five and making them have to make really good passes. Whenever there is a rebound, we are in really good position to get pucks cleared or get the first touch instead of giving them rebound opportunities, which makes my job a lot easier as well.”

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The Senators now find themselves on the plus side of the goals for and against differential, and are top-10 in the league as far as goals allowed. These are stats that will make a coach smile and Senators coach Travis Green is no different.

“Commitment to checking. Good goaltending. You don’t get (wins) without both of those. It’s nice to see. At the end of the day everyone in this league wants a chance to win the Stanley Cup. The first step is you have to make the playoffs to have a chance,” said Green. “Our group is hungry to have the chance.”

When asked about the recent run of defensive success, Green said it shows that his players want to be coached, and that this is one of the most coachable teams he’s had. Putting those coaching tactics into their game is what’s making the difference.

“We’ve stressed it a lot from the beginning, and you don’t have stretches like this without your goalies playing well. We’ve had a mindset, our group has, to be a committed team away from the puck. There’s no denying that if you can’t check or play away from the puck, you don’t have a chance of winning long term,” Green said.

“The next step is to make the playoffs and then play in them.”

That next step could come Wednesday in Columbus, when the Senators visit the Blue Jackets.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2025.

Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 9ced40af7c90ab7d2cd6222d71f8ef77fde64f4c9b6735c623ab8aa6f49ea9d3.jpg, Caption:

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Boone Jenner (38) looks for a chance on Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) as a shot goes wide of the net during first period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Sunday, April 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

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