Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in head-to-head matchups. Today, we are looking at the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. Check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: CBC, SN, SN360, TVAS2
The Battle of Ontario resumes tonight as the Toronto Maple Leafs (30-17-2) head east on the 401 to face their Provincial foes, the Ottawa Senators (24-20-4). This is the second of three meetings between these rivals. The Sens shut out the Maple Leafs back on November 3-0. Can Toronto return the favor tonight, or will Ottawa keep giving them problems?
In their last game, Toronto had a disappointing game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, losing 5-1. This came on the heels of a mini three-game winning streak. So, what version of the Maple Leafs will the Senators see tonight? Two players may be able to swing the game in Toronto’s favor. Those two are Auston Matthews and Joseph Woll.
Matthews has looked more like his Rocket Richard-winning self in 2025. He has nine goals in his last 10 games. He has only been held without a point in one of those games. With Matthew Knies injured, he will have a new left winger for this game tonight. On the goal-prevention side, Woll should be back between the pipes tonight after getting a rest against the Blue Jackets. Since the Maple Leafs have been without Anthony Stolarz, the Leafs are a much different and better team when Woll is in the net compared to anyone else.
The Ottawa Senators have had much recent success against the Maple Leafs. During the 2023-24 season, they scored 3-1-0 against them. This season, they have beaten them in their lone meeting as well. However, the Sens are also coming off two losses in a row and being shut out in both games. The scoring woes can be attributed to two of the Senators top forwards going into slumps. Captain Brady Tkachuk is pointless in 9 straight games. Meanwhile, Tim Stutzle only has 4 points in those nine games. Ottawa will need both players to produce more offense if they want to continue their winning ways against Toronto.
While the offense has sputtered, better goaltending has helped keep the Sens in games. It will be interesting to see who starts against the Leafs with Linus Ullmark still injured. Ottawa didn’t skate yesterday, so the defensive unit in front of the goalie will remain a mystery, with Jake Sanderson injured and Nick Jensen possibly joining him on the shelf.
Both teams want to get back into the win column, heightening the game’s intensity tonight. The odds of Ottawa getting shut out again are low. Expect at least one of Tkachuk or Stutzle to break out. A worrisome area for the Sens is who will match up against Matthews with their injuries on the backend; for Toronto, having Woll back in the net should help. He has allowed three goals in his last three wins, so the Leafs must score. Thankfully, they have Matthews, who loves playing Ottawa. William Nylander has also been hot lately, so he can help carry the offensive load with the Leaf’s injuries up front.
Prediction: Maple Leafs win 5-3
Auston Matthews has 24 goals in 33 games versus the Sens. He famously scored four in his first game in Ottawa. He is -110 as an anytime goalscorer tonight. Claude Giroux, on the other hand, likes playing the Maple Leafs. He has 53 points in 50 games against them. Take him to record 1+ points.
Main Photo: Nick Turchiaro- Imagn Images
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Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win
Welcome back to NHL Predictions here at Last Word on Hockey! Each day of the NHL season, we preview and analyze games to give our predictions.
