Stars 6, Senators 1: Road Trip Ends With a Thud
Some losses come with red flags, and some come with fatigue. This one tilted more toward just plain tired. The Ottawa Senators wrapped up a long, grinding seven-game road trip in Dallas, and for forty minutes, they hung around, played structured hockey, and even stole back a little momentum when Jake Sanderson tied the game. But once the third period began, the tank hit empty, and the Stars hit the gas.
Dallas didn’t need many gifts, and Ottawa gave them a couple. A puck lost along the boards, a missed assignment in the slot, a power play that couldn’t settle the puck—those small cracks became large openings for a Stars team that has no trouble finishing when offered the chance. In the end, Wyatt Johnston’s hat trick told the night’s story: Dallas executed, Ottawa faded.
This wasn’t the Senators at their sharpest or most competitive, but it also wasn’t a collapse from puck drop. It was just a tired team losing steam against a well-oiled one.
Key Point One: Senators’ Jake Sanderson Was the Bright Spot
Jake Sanderson scored the Senators’ lone goal and showed poise in all three zones. Even in a lopsided score, his confidence with the puck and ability to create were obvious.
Key Point Two: Costly Ottawa Breakdowns Came at the Wrong Moments
Ottawa’s early structure evaporated as the game wore on. A lost puck by Tim Stützle and a missed coverage on Jason Robertson turned a tight game into an uphill climb they couldn’t manage.
Key Point Three: The Stars’ Special Teams Tilted the Ice
The Stars won the special-teams battle decisively, scoring twice on the power play while Ottawa’s own power play struggled even to gain momentum. Those missed opportunities drained what little spark they had left.
Final Thoughts from the Senators’ Perspective
This one is simple enough to file away: a tired team ran into a strong opponent and didn’t have the legs to counter after forty minutes. Travis Green wasn’t wrong—through two periods, Ottawa wasn’t far off. But in the NHL, “not far off” can turn into a blowout quickly when special teams swing the night.
There were still meaningful performances to note, starting with Sanderson, who continues to build a season worth circling for years to come. Linus Ullmark wasn’t at fault for much of what beat him; he saw quality more than quantity.
The Senators need to flush the result, regroup, and rediscover the tempo they had earlier in the road trip. Montreal awaits, and after seven straight games away from home, simply finding fresh legs might be their biggest win.