OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — The Ottawa Senators scored twice in the third period to erase a one-goal deficit and defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in an NHL game Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre. Washington built a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson. Ottawa answered with two second-period goals from Nick Jensen and Ridly Greig. Aliaksei Protas put the Capitals ahead again early in the third, but Fabian Zetterlund and David Perron responded for the Senators to secure the win. Ottawa goaltender Leevi Merilainen made 26 saves for the victory. Michael Amadio, with an assist, was the top star for the Senators, who improved to 19-20. The Capitals fell to 21-20.

OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth affair to open the new year, the Ottawa Senators erased a two-goal deficit with a relentless third-period push to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on Thursday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre. The victory, sealed by David Perron’s go-ahead goal midway through the final frame, improved the Senators’ record to 19-20 across all competitions. The Capitals, who saw a two-game win streak snapped, fell to 21-20. The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the third period. After Washington’s Aliaksei Protas tied the game 2-2 just over five minutes in, Ottawa responded with two goals in a span of 1 minute, 54 seconds to seize control. Fabian Zetterlund restored Ottawa’s lead at 11:38, converting a feed from Thomas Chabot. Then, at 13:32, David Perron fired a wrist shot past Washington goaltender Logan Thompson for what proved to be the decisive goal, making it 4-2. Washington pressed late, with Thompson pulled for an extra attacker, but could not solve Senators netminder Leevi Merilainen a second time in the period. Merilainen earned the win with 26 saves on 29 shots. The game began with Washington asserting early dominance. Dylan Strome opened the scoring on a power play at 18:59 of the first period, wiring a wrist shot for his ninth goal of the season. Just over a minute later, Tom Wilson doubled the lead, finishing off a play created by Justin Sourdif to make it 2-0 Capitals after one period. Washington outshot Ottawa 13-6 in the opening frame. Ottawa began its comeback in the second period. Defenseman Nick Jensen cut the deficit in half at 14:42, firing a wrist shot for his second goal of the season. Later, with under two minutes remaining in the period, Ridly Greig tipped a point shot past Thompson to tie the game 2-2. The goal, Greig’s fifth, was assisted by Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio. Amadio, named the game’s top star for Ottawa, recorded an assist and was a physical presence throughout, registering a hit in 15:49 of ice time. His helper on Greig’s goal was a key momentum swing for the Senators. For Washington, Wilson finished with a goal and an assist, while Sourdif contributed two assists. The Capitals’ power play went 1 for 4, while Ottawa was 0 for 2. The contest was a physical one, featuring 14 combined penalties. The most notable was a fighting major assessed to both Washington’s Justin Sourdif and Ottawa’s Drake Batherson at 14:25 of the first period. The result flipped the script from the teams’ previous meeting on Oct. 25, a 7-1 Senators rout in Washington. It also defied some pregame projections. While National Statistical’s ELO system gave Washington a 50.70 percent probability to win, and its simulator projected a 3-2 Ottawa victory, the Senators were installed as a 1.5-goal favorite on the betting line. The total of seven goals went over the closing over/under line of 5.5. The Capitals return home to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. The Senators continue their homestand, also on Saturday, against the Winnipeg Jets.

WASHINGTON (21-19-0) at OTTAWA (18-20-0) Preview: Capitals, Senators Open 2026 in Ottawa OTTAWA, Ontario (Interstat) — The Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators will look to start the new year on a positive note when they meet Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre. Washington (21-19-0) enters on a high after a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday. The Capitals have alternated wins and losses over their last five games. Ottawa (18-20-0) seeks to rebound from a 4-1 home loss to Columbus on Monday, which snapped a brief two-game winning streak. A key player to watch for the Capitals is forward Tom Wilson, who is riding a hot streak. Wilson recorded two goals and an assist in Wednesday’s win, giving him four goals and three assists over his last three games. His physical presence and recent offensive surge will be a focal point for the Senators’ defense. Ottawa will counter with defenseman Jake Sanderson, a steady two-way presence on the blue line. Sanderson scored the Senators’ lone goal in their last outing and has three points (two goals, one assist) in his last six games. His ability to transition play and contribute at both ends will be crucial against Washington’s top lines. The Senators dominated the only previous meeting this season, routing the Capitals 7-1 in Washington on Oct. 25. Washington will aim for a much stronger defensive performance in the rematch. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Ottawa 3, Washington 2. The Capitals continue a three-game road trip with this contest before returning home to face Chicago on Saturday. Ottawa begins a three-game homestand Thursday before hosting Winnipeg on Saturday. Game Notes: Washington’s record includes no ties or overtime/shootout losses in the provided data. Ottawa’s recent results show a 3-5-2 stretch in their last 10 games, while Washington is 4-6-0 in its last 10. ... The Capitals’ recent road record is mixed, with wins in New Jersey and losses in Florida and Detroit this month. ... Ottawa’s home record during this period includes wins over Chicago, Pittsburgh and Boston, but losses to Buffalo and Columbus.