‘We found a way today’: Ottawa Senators showing maturity in tight games

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators are getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.

For the past two weeks, the Senators (9-5-4) have consistently found themselves in tight contests, either tied or within a goal late in regulation.

Those situations often slipped away in seasons past, but this year the team is finally showing the maturity to handle the late-game pressure with composure.

They did it again Thursday, finishing off a 5-3 win over a Boston Bruins team that came in riding a seven-game win streak.

Boston tied the game early in the third, but Ottawa maintained its composure, kept pressing and were rewarded in the end.

“You know, we’ve given up a few leads lately,” said centre Dylan Cozens. “But we found a way today. It’s a tie-game, eight minutes left or whatever, battle back and get another one and you know get the win in regulation. So, yeah, big character win.”

In the midst of a four-game homestand, the Senators have picked up five of a possible six points and are pushing for first in the Atlantic Division.

After getting off to a rough start and losing captain Brady Tkachuk to a hand injury, Ottawa seems to be finding its identity and being patient when needed.

Head coach Travis Green is still looking for a complete 60-minute effort from his team, but it’s getting closer with every game.

He especially liked the group’s performance against the Bruins.

“I just really liked the way we battled (Thursday),” Green said. “It was a hard game. It was a physical game. I don’t want to say playoff hockey, but it was a hard-fought battle and you had to raise your compete level if you wanted to win and I thought our guys did that.”

In addition to being without Tkachuk, the Senators have been forced to play large portions of their last two games with five defencemen. Thomas Chabot left after the first period Tuesday with an upper-body injury, and on Thursday the Senators were without veteran Nick Jensen for the third period.

There was no update on Jensen following the game, but Ottawa may need to recall someone from its American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.

An extended absence for either Jensen or Chabot would be a true test of the Senators’ depth and resilience.

Shane Pinto, who signed a four-year extension Thursday, said it’s on the forwards to support the defencemen when they find themselves short-handed.

“We’ve got to help them out,” Pinto said. “I think especially breaking out pucks. They were a heavy forechecking team, and they were running around pretty good, and it’s on us to help them out. Set some picks, and hopefully they can break it out for us. And I thought all of them did a great job.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2025.