Dec 2, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates with his teammates his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Senators Becoming Team to Fear in Atlantic Division

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Ottawa Senators dispatched their division rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, taking a crucial Atlantic Division matchup. The win pushed the team into a tie for second place in the division and brought them within four points of the Atlantic leader, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The game was also a huge one for Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. The forward notched his first goal of the 2025-2026 campaign in just his second game back from injury. Taking a feed from center Tim Stutzle, he rifled a wrist shot past the Canadiens' goalie. The celebration was exuberant from the captain, clearly demonstrating how meaningful it was to get his offensive game going post-injury.

The Senators' win also sent a clear message to the rest of the division and Eastern Conference. For the second straight season, this is a team to watch for as the regular season hits its halfway point.

A Jolt from the Captain

Credit to the Senators, who made it through a long-term window without Tkachuk and stayed within striking distance of a playoff position.

But with Tkachuk back in the lineup, the Senators transform in an instant. They go from scrappy to overpowering and from talented to an imposing lineup just by having their captain back in the top six.

Fearsome Home Team

One way the Senators are making their mark is by dominating at home. So far this season, the Sens have played 11 of their 26 games in front of their home crowd and the advantage is coming through. They've posted a record of 6-3-2 in those contests, compared to a 7-6-2 record on the road.

It shouldn't be a surprise that their home ice is a tougher place to play. That smash mouth, crash and bang style that Tkachuk loves to utilize as a momentum-builder is also the perfect thing to rile up the Ottawa crowd. The energy becomes a back-and-forth exchange, and it's led to them being a more effective and overall better team at home.

Their past month of games exhibited this perfectly as well. They played 13 total games, nine of them on the road. Playing away from Ottawa for so long took a toll. They allowed 28 goals and only scored 23, giving them a -5 goal differential in away games. At home, they boasted a positive +2 goal differential in their four home games.

If the Sens can round balance out their home and away contests, the Atlantic Division will be on even higher alert. In the meantime, the division is already well aware that the Senators are a team to watch as the regular season progresses.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: