Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
Capacity: 18,652
Ice Surface: Standard NHL (200’ x 85’)
Broadcast: ESPN+ / TSN5 / Bally Sports Sun
Injury Report (Projected as of April 7, 2026)
Tampa Bay Lightning
D Mikhail Sergachev — OUT (knee, long‑term IR)
F Brandon Hagel — Questionable (upper body)
F Nick Paul — Probable (maintenance)
Ottawa Senators
F Josh Norris — OUT (shoulder)
D Thomas Chabot — Questionable (lower body)
G Anton Forsberg — OUT (groin)
Impact note: Ottawa’s blue‑line depth is stretched if Chabot cannot go, which directly affects their transition game and defensive zone exits.
Recent Team Form (Last 10 Games)
Tampa Bay Lightning: 7‑2‑1
Elite offensive efficiency (3.8 goals per game)
Power play clicking at 29%
Vasilevskiy rounding into playoff form
Ottawa Senators: 6‑3‑1
Much improved defensive structure
Tim Stützle driving top‑line production
Home ice has been a stabilizer (22‑12‑4 at home)
Key Player Matchups
Nikita Kucherov (TBL) vs. Tim Stützle (OTT)
Kucherov remains a top‑three NHL playmaker, driving Tampa’s elite PP1.
Stützle’s speed and edge‑work create matchup problems, especially in transition.
Brayden Point (TBL) vs. Brady Tkachuk (OTT)
Point’s two‑way reliability vs. Tkachuk’s physicality and net‑front dominance.
Tkachuk’s ability to draw penalties could be a major factor.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) vs. Joonas Korpisalo (OTT)
Vasilevskiy: .917 SV% over last 10 starts
Korpisalo: .903 SV% but strong at home
Goaltending edge clearly favors Tampa Bay.
Victor Hedman (TBL) vs. Jakob Chychrun (OTT)
Hedman’s puck‑moving and defensive reads remain elite.
Chychrun’s shot generation from the point is Ottawa’s best blue‑line weapon.
Series History
Tampa Bay leads the all‑time series
2025‑26 season series: Lightning lead 2‑1
Tampa has won 7 of the last 10 meetings
Ottawa tends to play Tampa tighter at home (4‑4 in last 8 at Canadian Tire Centre)
Betting Trends
Tampa Bay Lightning
6‑1 last 7 vs. teams with winning records
5‑2 last 7 road games
Over is 4‑1 in their last 5 games
Ottawa Senators
5‑2 last 7 home games
4‑1 last 5 as home underdog
Under is 6‑3 in last 9 vs. Atlantic Division
Head‑to‑Head Trends
Favorite is 8‑3 in last 11 matchups
Over is 6‑2 in last 8 meetings
Game Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning 6.5
Ottawa Senators – 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, April 6, 2026
