Ottawa Senators Seek to Tame the Wild in St. Paul Showdown

As the Ottawa Senators prepare to face off against the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center, fans are anticipating a game filled with strategic plays and high energy. The Senators have had a challenging run in their recent games, which could influence their performance on foreign ice.

In their last three outings, the Senators have shown some resilience but ultimately fell short of victory. Against the St. Louis Blues, they managed to net two goals but conceded five, despite having a higher shot count of 39 compared to 27 by the Blues. Their powerplay opportunities were capitalized once out of three chances, indicating room for improvement in special teams play.

The trend continued when they visited Boston Bruins; although they scored twice during powerplays from four opportunities, it wasn't enough to secure a win as they lost with six goals against them on just 26 shots by Boston. This highlighted potential defensive vulnerabilities that need addressing before facing Minnesota's offense.

Most recently at home against Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa's efforts yielded two goals from an equal number of powerplay chances but were overshadowed by seven goals allowed on 38 shots faced. Goaltending and defense will be critical areas for focus if they aim to contain Minnesota's attackers effectively.

The upcoming game presents an opportunity for Ottawa to refine these aspects and demonstrate their capacity for tactical adjustments away from home turf. With special teams playing a significant role in recent performances, optimizing powerplay efficiency and bolstering penalty killing will be key factors in seeking redemption after this tough stretch.

Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+ or BSN as both teams take to the ice on April 3rd at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul; puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM CT (Central Time).