Montreal Canadiens Outmaneuvered at Canadian Tire Centre by Ottawa Senators' Onslaught
In a recent face-off at the Canadian Tire Centre, the Montreal Canadiens, with a record of 18-25, clashed with the Ottawa Senators, who held a record of 23-20. The final score reflected the intensity of the game: 6-2 in favor of the home team.
The Montreal Canadiens opened up scoring early in the first period but were quickly overtaken as the Ottawa Senators responded with two goals before intermission. Despite their efforts to regain control, including an additional goal in the third period, it was not enough to counteract Ottawa's consistent offense. The Senators capitalized on their opportunities throughout all three periods, adding two more goals each in both remaining periods.
The Canadiens' performance showcased resilience and determination. They managed to outperform Ottawa in faceoffs won with a success rate of 52 percent and blocked an impressive total of 12 shots during play. However, they struggled on powerplays despite having four chances; they failed to convert any into goals and only took four shots during these opportunities.
On defense, Montreal faced challenges as well. Their goaltender made a commendable effort with 31 saves but ultimately allowed five goals against him before an empty netter brought that total to six for Ottawa. The Senators’ shooting accuracy proved formidable; they scored six times from just 37 shots reflecting a significant shooting percentage advantage over Montreal's nine percent from their own attempts.
The physicality was evident as both teams played aggressively—Montreal delivered 18 hits while Ottawa countered slightly higher at 23 hits throughout the game.
Looking ahead for fans of 'the' Canadiens: 'the' team is scheduled for another challenging matchup against 'the' Boston Bruins at TD Garden on January 21st. This encounter will be available for viewing nationally on ESPN+ and locally via NESN channel number 628 starting at midnight Eastern Time according to international standard time notation (00:00).