With the 2025-26 NHL season ticking down, the b are battling for a wild-card spot and a place in the playoffs, while the New York Rangers are playing for pride. The two Eastern Conference clubs play tonight, Monday, March 23, in the only game on the NHL schedule for the night.
The Ottawa Senators are currently in 10th place in the East, with a record of 36-24-9. The team’s 81 points are three points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final wild-card berth in the conference. Ottawa is on a 7-2-1 run in its past 10 games and is coming off a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
The New York Rangers head into tonight’s game in last place in the East with a 28-33-9 mark. The team is 5-4-1 in its past 10 outings. New York lost to the Winnipeg Jets (3-2) in a shootout on Sunday afternoon.
With 13 games left in their season, the Ottawa Senators have worked their way back into the playoff hunt thanks to a 13-2-2 run since January 25. The Sens are currently on a 4-1 run where they have scored 18 goals to their opponents’ 12. With the playoffs approaching, Ottawa has been playing great team hockey with its third and fourth lines contributing toward the team’s success.
The Senators are 10th in the NHL in goals scored with 231, while allowing the 14th fewest goals at 213. Ottawa’s goal differential of +21 is ninth-best in the league. Tim Stutzle leads the team in goals, assists, and points on the season with 32 goals, 40 assists, and 72 points. Two other players, Drake Batherson and Dylan Cozens, have more than 20 goals.
The Sens are 19th in team goaltending, allowing 3.03 goals per game. However, starting goaltender Linus Ullmark has a 2.77 GAA along with a .885 save percentage. Ullmark is expected to get the start in New York.
Ottawa has the 10th-best power play at 22.9 percent, while the team’s power play checks in at No. 30, with a 74.6 percent effectiveness.
The New York Rangers are effectively out of the playoff hunt. With 12 games left in their season, the Rangers will need a miracle to qualify for the postseason. The team’s poor performance has allowed the team to bring its top goalie prospect, Dylan Garand, into the fold. The 23-year-old made his debut on Sunday, saving 35 of 37 shots and putting up a 1.85 goals against average. However, starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin is expected to start today. The 30-year-old has a 2.56 goals against average and a .912 save percentage on the season,
The Rangers are near the bottom of the league in goals scored (198) and goals allowed (224). New York has an effective power play, ranking seventh in the league with a 24 percent effectiveness. However, the team’s penalty kill is 23rd at 77.7 percent.
Mika Zibanejad leads the club in goals (30), and points (67), while Artemi Panarin is the team leader in assists (38). Alexis Lafreniere is the only other Ranger with 20 or more goals, scoring 20 times this season.
The Senators and Rangers have played twice this season. The Rangers won 4-2 in Ottawa in December, while the Senators defeated the Rangers 8-4 in New York in January.
The betting pick is for the Ottawa Senators to beat the NY Rangers tonight at MSG.
Before making any bets on the NHL, check out the current NHL online Las Vegas odds. Being aware of the latest Vegas betting site bonuses too helps this time of year, and make sure to look at our betting picks to win the 2026 Hart Trophy for the league MVP.
