Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
TV/Streaming: Monumental Sports Network (Capitals market); TSN5 / RDS2 (Senators/Canada)
This Eastern Conference matchup pits two solid early-season teams against each other. The Capitals sit in the Metropolitan Division, while the Senators hold a stronger overall record and home advantage in the Atlantic. It is the first meeting of the 2026-27 season between the clubs.
Injury Reports
Washington Capitals
Rasmus Sandin: Out (knee; long-term IR).
Vincent Desharnais: Out (abdomen/surgery; IR).
Patrick Thomas: Out (upper-body; IR).
Other depth and lineup management notes apply; key forwards like Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Tom Wilson are expected to be available.
Ottawa Senators
Warren Foegele: Out (knee).
William Eklund: Out (ankle).
Andre Burakovsky: Out (lower-body).
Ridly Greig: Day-to-day/expected to return (lower-body; practiced and expected for Tuesday per reports).
Linus Ullmark is expected back in net after missing time with a lower-body issue (practiced and activated from IR in recent updates).
Current Key Rosters / Projected Contributors
Capitals (Head Coach: Spencer Carbery):
Offense features Alex Ovechkin, Alex Tuch (strong goal-scoring), Dylan Strome, Jordan Kyrou, Tom Wilson, and supporting pieces like Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Jakob Chychrun is a key offensive defenseman. Goaltending is handled primarily by Logan Thompson (projected in many previews) with Charlie Lindgren as the other option.
Senators (Head Coach: Travis Green):
Tim Stützle leads the attack with strong production (goals and assists), supported by Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson (when available/recent form), and others. Blue-line contributors include Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub (status monitored earlier in the season). Linus Ullmark is the projected starter upon return, with Samuel Ersson as the alternate.
Recent Team Forms
Capitals (9-6-0): Competitive with a roughly 6-4-0 mark in their last 10. They average around 3.5+ goals per game but allow a higher number as well. Recent results include a 4-3 win over Florida. Road record is mixed (around 2-2-0 in early road games noted). Strong in one-goal games.
Senators (11-6-1): Solid overall, with a good home record (around 6-2-0). Last 10 roughly 5-4-1. They score efficiently when hitting three or more goals and have shown resilience. Recent form includes wins over Utah and Buffalo. Home ice has been an advantage.
Ottawa holds the edge in record and home performance; Washington brings scoring punch and experience in tight contests.
Key Player Matchups
Tim Stützle / Senators top-six vs. Capitals defense and centers (Dylan Strome, etc.): Stützle’s speed, playmaking, and finishing will test Washington’s structure. Jake Sanderson’s contributions from the blue line add another layer.
Alex Tuch / Jordan Kyrou / Alex Ovechkin vs. Ottawa’s defensive pairs: Capitals’ scoring depth and Ovechkin’s presence create matchup challenges, especially on the power play.
Jakob Chychrun and Capitals blue line vs. Ottawa forwards: Transition and offensive output from the back end against Stützle and company.
Special teams: Capitals power play (around 20%) vs. Senators penalty kill; both sides’ special teams have been mixed.
Goaltending: Logan Thompson (or Charlie Lindgren) vs. Linus Ullmark (projected return). Ullmark’s presence and career numbers against Washington could be a factor.
Series History
First meeting of the 2026-27 season. Recent head-to-head has been competitive, with mixed results (including high-scoring games and tight contests in prior seasons). Capitals have taken some recent matchups, but Ottawa has home success in the series historically.
Betting Trends
Senators perform well at home and when scoring three-plus goals. Capitals have been competitive in close games and generate offense. Overs have hit in some recent meetings; unders can play depending on goaltending. Home teams and slight favorites have value in similar East matchups.
Ottawa’s home-ice advantage, slightly better overall record, and the potential return of Linus Ullmark and Ridly Greig give them the edge in a close, high-event Eastern Conference game. Washington’s scoring ability (led by Tuch, Kyrou, Strome, and Ovechkin) should keep it competitive and could force overtime, but the Senators’ structure at home and ability to capitalize on chances project a narrow victory.
Game Odds
Washington Capitals 6
Ottawa Senators – 130
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Monday, November 9, 2026
