The Dallas Stars (16-5-4) welcome the Ottawa Senators (12-8-4) to the American Airlines Center in a cross-conference showdown that pits the Central Division leaders against a surging Atlantic contender. With the Stars’ balanced attack and Jake Oettinger’s Vezina-contending form anchoring a stingy defense, this matchup tests Ottawa’s high-event style led by Brady Tkachuk’s physicality against Dallas’ structured forecheck. The Senators aim to build on a road win streak, while the Stars look to rebound from a rare regulation loss at home. Expect a grind-it-out affair with faceoff battles and penalty-kill edges deciding it—playoff-like intensity early in the season. Faceoff is scheduled for Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. ET, airing on Sportsnet East (Senators), Bally Sports Southwest (Stars), and NHL Network, with streaming on SN Now, Fubo, and the NHL app.
Puckdrop: 8:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: TV – Sportsnet East, Bally Sports Southwest, NHL Network; Streaming – SN Now, Fubo, NHL App; Radio – TSN 1200 (Senators), The Ticket 1310 (Stars)
Injury Report
Dallas’ blue line takes a hit with Heiskanen sidelined, thinning their top pairing, while Ottawa gets a boost from Tkachuk’s recent return but monitors its crease depth. The NHL’s official injury report (as of 6:00 p.m. ET on November 30) details the following—warmups could upgrade Stützle for the Senators.
| Team | Player | Status | Injury/Illness Details |
| Senators | Tim Stützle | Questionable | Upper Body; Day-to-Day (missed 2 practices) |
| Senators | Linus Ullmark | Probable | Lower Body; Maintenance |
| Senators | Zack MacEwen | Out | AHL – Conditioning |
| Stars | Miro Heiskanen | Out | Lower Body; Week-to-Week (high-ankle sprain) |
| Stars | Jamie Benn | Available | No Injury (post-rest) |
| Stars | Nils Lundkvist | Out | AHL – Assignment |
| Stars | Logan Stankoven | Out | AHL – Conditioning |
Senators’ Anton Forsberg expected to back up Ullmark; Stars turn to Oettinger after .928 SV% in November.
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away Split | ATS Record | O/U Record |
| Ottawa Senators | 12-8-4 | 7-4-2 Home / 5-4-2 Away | 13-11 | 12-10-2 |
| Dallas Stars | 16-5-4 | 9-2-2 Home / 7-3-2 Away | 14-11 | 11-13-1 |
Dallas leads the Central with a +2.1 goal differential and No. 3 PK (84.6%), while Ottawa sits 4th in the Atlantic, thriving in five-on-five (51.8% Corsi).
Recent Team Forms
Ottawa enters hot with four wins in five, showcasing offensive pop (3.6 GF/G) but leaky transitions (3.2 GA/G road). Dallas is 3-1-1 in theirs, dominant at home (7-0-1 in last eight) but vulnerable without Heiskanen (allowing 2.8 GA in his absences). Combined shots pace: 61.4, neutral on totals.
Ottawa Senators – Last 5 Games (4-1-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 11/28/2025 | vs. Toronto | W 4-3 (OT) | Tkachuk: 2G; PP winner in OT |
| 11/26/2025 | @ Montreal | W 5-2 | Batherson: 1G, 2A; Road surge |
| 11/23/2025 | vs. Boston | W 3-1 | Ullmark: 29 saves; Defensive edge |
| 11/21/2025 | @ Buffalo | W 4-2 | Norris: 2A; Balanced attack |
| 11/19/2025 | vs. Detroit | L 3-2 | Stützle: 1G; Close loss |
Dallas Stars – Last 5 Games (3-1-1):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 11/28/2025 | vs. Colorado | W 3-2 | Robertson: 1G, 1A; Oettinger 31 saves |
| 11/26/2025 | @ Minnesota | L 4-3 (OT) | Pavelski: 2G; Lost in extra |
| 11/23/2025 | vs. Nashville | W 5-1 | Hintz: Hat trick; Offensive clinic |
| 11/21/2025 | @ St. Louis | W 2-1 | Heiskanen: 2A (pre-injury); Grit |
| 11/19/2025 | vs. Chicago | T 3-3 (SO) | Duchene: GWG in SO; Point home |
Series History
Dallas holds a commanding all-time advantage (68-49-13 over 130 regular-season games), winning 7 of the last 10 meetings. The Stars swept the 2024-25 series 2-0, including a 4-2 home win on November 12, 2025, behind Oettinger’s 28 saves. At the AAC, Dallas is 34-22-6 vs. Ottawa, often controlling tempo (unders in 6 of last 8 home H2H).Key Historical Trends:
Stars 7-3 SU in last 10 head-to-heads.
Under in 6 of last 8 (avg. 5.5 goals).
Dallas covers -1.5 in 5 of last 7 home vs. Ottawa.
Player Matchups
Dallas’ depth overwhelms Ottawa’s top-heavy attack, with Robertson’s line vs. Tkachuk’s the highlight. Oettinger’s .925 SV% edges Ullmark’s .910—expect 55+ faceoffs and physical play.
Brady Tkachuk (Senators, 14G, 12A) vs. Jason Robertson (Stars, 16G, 20A): Tkachuk’s net-front chaos (2.2 hits/G) tests Robertson’s sniper touch (22% shooting); Robo held scoreless in last H2H? No—avg. 1.4 pts vs. OTT. Edge: Stars.
Tim Stützle (Senators, Q; 13G, 18A) vs. Roope Hintz (Stars, 15G): Stützle’s speed vs. Hintz’s two-way game (54% faceoffs); if Tim plays, edge to him. Edge: Senators (if available).
Drake Batherson (Senators, 11G) vs. Joe Pavelski (Stars, veteran): Batherson’s shot volume vs. Pavelski’s IQ—key for PP. Edge: Even.
Linus Ullmark (Senators, 2.45 GAA) vs. Jake Oettinger (Stars, 2.12 GAA): Ullmark’s glove vs. Oettinger’s positioning; Jake 3-0-0 lifetime vs. OTT with 1.67 GAA. Edge: Stars.
X-Factor: Senators’ PK (81.2%, No. 18) vs. Stars’ PP (24.8%, No. 4).
Betting Trends
Key Trends:
Senators: 4-1 SU last 5; 6-4 ATS road; Over in 7/10 away.
Stars: 9-1 SU last 10 home; 7-3 ATS as favorites; Under in 6/9 vs. Atlantic.
Head-to-Head: Under in 6/8; Stars 7-3 ATS last 10.
Game Odds
Ottawa Senators 6
Dallas Stars – 138
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, November 29, 2025
