Tag: Ottawa Senators

Senators’ Brady Tkachuk cheering on the Flames and his brother Matthew is the best story of NHL playoffs

Brady Tkachuk is the Flames biggest cheerleader in these playoffs.

Brady Tkachuk is the Calgary Flames biggest cheerleader in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

As the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on through the second round, the best story of the NHL postseason has been the brotherly love between Flames star Matthew Tkachuk and his brother — the current captain of the Ottawa Senators — Brady Tkachuk. While the Senators may not be in the playoffs, Brady has taken to cheering on his brother and the Flames with incredible, wholesome passion.

Hockey fans first caught on to new No. 1 Flames fan Tkachuk doing his thing at the end of Calgary’s first round series against the Dallas Stars, where he was seen celebrating in the stands with a child on his shoulders!

Then at the start of the second round — with the Flames facing the Edmonton Oilers in a long-awaited Battle of Alberta — Tkachuk absolutely stole the show. From carrying multiple beers through the stands…

To absolutely vibing out during the Flames’ chaotic 9-6 victory on Wednesday…

Brady Tkachuk was having an absolute blast of a time cheering on the Flames and his brother. Seriously, how awesome is that?

While some naysayer hockey fans weren’t the biggest fans of Brady seemingly switching sides from the Senators to the Flames, who cares? This is the absolute best story of the playoffs so far and it’s all been born from the familial love between Brady and Matthew Tkachuk.

And the majority of hockey fans? They couldn’t get enough of it!

NHL fans are furious with goalie Aaron Dell after injuring Senators’ Drake Batherson with reckless hit

Aaron Dell will sit three games for this unnecessary hit.

Aaron Dell has landed himself in hot water in the eyes of the NHL and its fans after this dangerous hit.

On Tuesday, in the first period between the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators, Drake Batherson was pursuing a puck behind the visitor’s net when Aaron Dell stepped out of his goal crease to challenge him. Dell got in Batherson’s path to the puck and delivered an elbow to the shoulder, causing the Senators’ forward to crash awkwardly into the boards.

Batherson left the game after that hit, favoring his ankle, and never returned to the game. Dell was not assessed a penalty for interference on the play.

It was later revealed that Batherson suffered a high ankle sprain after the hit and will be out long-term for Ottawa.

Dell was suspended three games on Wednesday after a meeting with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, but this is not the first time the goaltender has roughed up his opponents out of the crease. Back in mid-January, Dell put a shoulder into Nashville’s Eeli Tolvanen along the boards…

Then back in 2019, Dell caught Mark Stone of the Vegas Golden Knights with a similar elbow to the Batherson play.

NHL fans were absolutely furious with Dell on social media after Batherson’s injury. Partly because the hit was a reckless and unnecessary one, seemingly only made with the intent to injure as there was no reason for Dell to make an attempt on the puck with his teammate right there. And also because Batherson was set to make his first All-Star appearance in February after putting up 34 points in 31 games, an event he’ll have to miss because of his injury.

Senators’ head coach D.J. Smith called the entire situation “ridiculous” and called out Dell for his long history with bad hits.

Here’s how NHL fans reacted to Batherson’s injury and Dell’s suspension.

Notre Dame hockey Twitter account has fun with Andrew Peeke tweet

Think he’s listening to something familiar?

Former Notre Dame captain Andrew Peeke is enjoying his first full NHL season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. As he walked into Nationwide Arena on Sunday ahead of his team’s game against the Ottawa Senators, a photo was snapped of him. The photo shows him listening to music, so the Blue Jackets’ Twitter account asked everyone to guess what might be blasting in his ears at that moment. While we might never know the answer to that question, Notre Dame’s hockey account took the only guess it could:

Peeke listening to the Notre Dame Victory March ahead of games wouldn’t be unheard of. After all, professional athletes keeping themselves connected to their college days has been documented throughout history. Perhaps most famously, Michael Jordan wore his shorts from North Carolina underneath his uniform throughout his NBA career. Whatever he’s listening to, let’s hope it helps him play well.

Peeke has scored nine points and accumulated a team-high 26 penalty minutes in 38 games this season.

Senators’ Brady Tkachuk angrily rips ‘gutless’ Brendan Lemieux for biting his hand in scrum

“He’s just a complete brick head.”

The NHL is really having a week right now.

Back on Friday, hockey fans were treated to a hilarious scene after Artemi Panarin threw his glove at Brad Marchand while the pair were chirping from the benches. Now, it’s time to add biting to the mix!

On Saturday, late in the third period of a game between the Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings, Brady Tkachuk and Brendan Lemieux got tangled up in a scrap. In their tussle, Lemieux bit down on Tkachuk’s hand twice as the Senators’ captain was lying on the ice, which earned the Los Angeles winger a five minute major and a game misconduct ejection from the game.

And it wasn’t just a small bite either, Tkachuk’s hand was bloody as the pair were separated after the incident.

There were also clear indentation marks on Tkachuk’s hand after the fact as well.

It’s been… some time since we’ve had such a high profile incident in the NHL involving a player’s mouth dealing damage to an opponent. Lemieux is set to have an in-person hearing via Zoom for biting Tkachuk, which opens the Kings’ forward to be suspended for more than five games.

After the game, Tkachuk had some extremely harsh words for Lemieux

“This is the one time I’m going to answer this. It was the most gutless thing somebody could ever do. This guy, you can ask any one of his teammates, nobody ever wants to play with him. This guy is a bad guy and a bad teammate, he focuses on himself all the time.

The guy’s just a joke. He shouldn’t be in the league. This guy’s gutless. No other team wants him. He’s going to keep begging to be in the NHL, but no other team wants him, he’s an absolute joke. I can’t even wrap my head around it. People don’t even do this. He’s just a bad guy.

It’s outrageous. Kids don’t even do that anymore. Babies do that. I don’t even know what he was thinking. He’s just a complete brick head. He’s got nothing up there. Bad guy, bad player, but what a joke he is.”

My favorite part about Tkachuk’s incredible quote is the hilarious use of the phrase “brick head”. Just stellar stuff!

Here’s how the hockey world reacted to Lemieux’s bite and Tkachuk’s comments.

Ottawa Senators at Los Angeles Kings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Ottawa Senators at Los Angeles Kings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Ottawa Senators (25-33-12) visit the Los Angeles Kings (28-35-6) Wednesday at Staples Center in a battle for 2020 NHL Entry Draft positioning. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Senators-Kings sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Senators at Kings: Projected starting goalies

Craig Anderson vs. Cal Petersen

Anderson enters on just his second two-game winning streak of the season after stopping 31 of 32 shots in a 2-1 OT win at the San Jose Sharks Saturday. He’s 11-16-2 on the season with a .901 save percentage and 3.26 goals against average.

Petersen has won three straight games to improve to 4-3-0 on the season. He has a .922 SV% and 2.73 GAA. He stopped 25 of 28 shots in a 7-3 win over the Minnesota Wild Saturday.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Senators at Kings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 3:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Kings 3, Senators 1

Moneyline (ML)

The two teams are tied with 62 points on the season, but the Kings (-167) have played one less game than the Senators (+135) as the two head toward playoff elimination. The Kings have won a season-high six straight games, including a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche Monday, and they’re now a strong 18-13-2 on home ice for the season. The Sens were handed a 5-2 loss Tuesday by the Anaheim Ducks to start their California swing 1-1. They’re 4-5-1 across their last 10 games and 7-20-6 on the road for the season. Back the surging KINGS (-167) at home against a tired opponent.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Kings to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $5.99.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

PASS. Los Angeles (-1.5, +155) is on a roll, but I’m going to keep the focus on the ML above. The Kings are 38-31 ATS overall and 18-15 on home ice. The Senators (+1.5, -189) are 36-34 ATS overall and 16-17 on the road.

Over/Under (O/U)

Back the UNDER 5.5 (+105). The Kings have fallen shy of this combined goal total in five of their last six wins and the Sens have scored just 4 goals through the first two games of their road trip.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 277-261

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Islanders at Ottawa Senators odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s New York Islanders at Ottawa Senators sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Islanders (35-22-8) face the Ottawa Senators (23-32-12) Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre as Jean-Gabriel Pageau returns to Canada’s capital city for the first time since being dealt at the trade deadline. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Islanders-Senators sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Islanders at Senators: Projected starting goalies

Semyon Varlamov vs. Craig Anderson

Varlamov has struggled of late with 10 goals allowed on 72 shots across his last three appearances. He has slipped to 19-13-5 with a .916 save percentage and 2.56 goals against average through 37 starts and six relief appearances.

Anderson has dropped three starts in a row, including Tuesday’s road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in which he was torched for seven goals on 35 shots. The veteran is 9-16-2 with a .897 SV% and 3.35 GAA through 28 starts and three relief appearances as he seemingly wraps up his career.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Islanders at Senators: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 10:23 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 6, Sens 1

Moneyline (ML)

The Senators (+135) are soon to be the second or third team to be officially eliminated from playoff contention, while the ISLANDERS (-162) hold an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. The Isles have lost four in a row, including losing two in a row at home by margins of four goals. The Sens will be the perfect remedy, especially with a spirited effort from Pageau on tap. Back the visitors to win outright.

New York leads the season series 2-0 with wins by counts of 4-2 and 4-1 in the fall.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Islanders to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $6.20.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The ISLANDERS (-1.5, +170) should also be backed to win by at least 2 goals on the puck line with greater profit potential. New York is 17-14 ATS on the road, while Ottawa is 19-17 ATS at home. The Sens took a 7-3 loss against the Penguins Tuesday, and while the Isles are stuck in a poor 2-6-2 stretch, their last five wins were all by margins of 2 or more goals. There’s no reason to believe in a Sens team headed to the draft lottery.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-125) is the only way to go Thursday. Both goalies have been struggling and the Islanders could very well take care of the 6-goal total on their own. The Islanders are just 2-8 against the Over/Under across their last 10 games, but that’s largely been due to offensive struggles. They’ll pick up the slack against Anderson and the Sens, as they try to retain their playoff positioning.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 269-249

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Ottawa Senators (23-31-12) visit the Pittsburgh Penguins (37-21-6) Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena for a 7 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Senators-Penguins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Senators at Penguins: Projected starting goalies

Craig Anderson vs. Matt Murray

Anderson has suffered back-to-back regulation losses in which he allowed a total of six goals on 70 shots. The veteran is 9-15-2 through 27 starts and three relief appearances with a .901 save percentage and 3.21 goals against average.

Murray took three straight losses on the road to end February. He has slipped to 17-10-5 on the season with a .900 SV% and 2.85 GAA through 34 starts while splitting time with Tristan Jarry.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Senators at Penguins: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 11 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Penguins 5, Senators 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Penguins (-304) have uncharacteristically lost six straight games, including being shut out twice and an 0-4 road trip. They most recently took a 5-0 loss against the lowly San Jose Sharks Saturday. Still, they’re third in the Metropolitan Division and headed for the postseason, as they return home to where they’re 22-6-4 on the season.

The Senators (+240) have won a rare two straight games, but it shouldn’t inspire any false confidence. They had to go to a shootout to earn a 4-3 win over the cellar-dwelling Detroit Red Wings Saturday. The Sens, just 6-18-6 on the road, won’t be upsetting the Penguins. PASS and look to the spread.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Penguins to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of just $3.29. It’s too chalky.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Penguins beat the Sens 5-2 Dec. 30 in Pittsburgh in the season’s first head-to-head clash. Back the PENGUINS (-1.5, -121) to win by at least 2 goals in the second showdown. The Pens are just 14-18 ATS at home, while the Sens are 15-15 ATS on the road, but the Penguins are the better hockey team in every area. Expect a motivated Penguins team in its return home.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 6.5 (+135) for the total in regular time on an alternate line. There just isn’t enough value in the base projection of 5.5 total goals with the Over paying out at just -154. A similar result to the season’s first meeting is what we’re expecting Tuesday.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 262-245

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Ottawa Senators (21-30-11) visit the Columbus Blue Jackets (30-19-14) for a 7 p.m. ET game at Nationwide Arena Monday. We analyze the Senators-Blue Jackets odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Senators at Blue Jackets: Projected starting goalies

Craig Anderson vs. Elvis Merzlikins

Anderson is the lean over Marcus Hogberg for this start in Columbus. Both Senators goalkeepers have similar numbers on the season; Anderson owns a 3.21 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. The veteran allowed three goals on 37 shots against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday. He stopped 18 of 19 shots in a loss at Columbus Nov. 25.

Merzlikins owns a fine 2.37 GAA and .922 SV% in his rookie season. He’s been fabulous over 14 games at home (1.51 GAA, .950 SV%), but the 25-year-old native of Latvia has had some recent struggles. Over his last four appearances, Merzlikins has logged a .869 SV%.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Senators at Blue Jackets: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:50 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Columbus 3, Ottawa 1

Moneyline (ML)

Merzlikins put together an impressive run against some solid offensive clubs in early February (.953 SV% over five games). Ottawa goes on the road after a six-game, 11-day homestand; they’re 1-7 in road openers after home stands.

Still, analytics on both teams come in as bearish when looking at their win-loss records. The lean is a small one on COLUMBUS (-227).

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Ottawa’s last six losses — all by multiple goals — have included a combined deficit of 18 goals. The Jackets’ most recent wins were mostly by a lone goal. We’re going back a ways to get to that comparison, as Columbus hasn’t won a game since Feb. 7.

The Blue Jackets are a slight lean, though, and the price — COLUMBUS -1.5 (+110) — again gives us some value.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Under is 26-12 in Columbus’ last 38 games as a favorite. Recent numbers for both teams include more goals yielded than perhaps were warranted by underlying statistics.

TAKE THE UNDER 5.5 (+100) as the best play in what is the lone NHL game of the day.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Washington Capitals (34-12-5) visit the Ottawa Senators (18-23-9) Friday in a clash of capital cities. Puck drop at Canadian Tire Center is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Capitals-Senators sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Capitals at Senators: Projected starting goalies

Ilya Samsonov vs. Craig Anderson

Samsonov, who’s officially the Capitals’ backup goaltender, got the win in each of his last 10 starts. The 22-year-old is 15-2-1 on the season with a .927 save percentage and NHL-best 2.06 goals against average through 16 starts and three relief appearances.

Anderson, who officially remains the Senators’ starter, is 7-12-1 through 21 starts and two relief appearances. The 38-year-old owns a .899 SV% and 3.25 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Predators at Devils: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Capitals 6, Senators 2

Moneyline (ML)

The CAPITALS (-208) are heavy road favorites, but they’re still well worth playing despite the chalk. This number should be much less profitable, with the Capitals having a significant advantage in every area of the ice, and especially in the goaltending matchup.

The Caps are 7-3-0 across their last 10 games and 19-6-1 on the road for the season. They lead the Metropolitan Division. The Sens are 12-8-5 on home ice for the season but just 2-4-4 across their last 10 games overall. The Capitals lost 5-4 to the Nashville Predators Wednesday, but they had won their previous four games. The Senators are coming off a 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, but they had lost 10 of their previous 11 games.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Capitals to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $4.80.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The more profitable play is to back the CAPITALS (-1.5, +125) to win by at least 2 goals Friday. The Senators are 27-23 against the spread overall and 15-10 at home, while the Capitals are 27-24 ATS overall and 18-8 on the road. I’d even look at the alternate puck line of CAPITALS -2.5 (+220) for an even greater return, as the two teams aren’t in the same class.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 6.5 (+105). The Capitals will take care of this projected total nearly on their own. A goal or two from a Senators team that plays adequately on home ice will send Friday’s combined goal total soaring over the number.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 189-178

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Ottawa Senators at Buffalo Sabres sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Ottawa Senators (17-23-9) visit the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres (22-20-7) Tuesday at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is set for shortly after 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Senators-Sabres sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Senators at Sabres: Projected starting goalies

Craig Anderson vs. Carter Hutton

Anderson gave way to Marcus Hogberg against the New Jersey Devils Monday in the first game out of the all-star break. The veteran netminder is 0-4-1 over his last five starts with at least four goals allowed in each game. He has a .897 save percentage and 3.32 goals against average through 22 games.

Hutton has been equally bad for the Sabres this season. He is 6-7-4 through 17 starts with a .892 SV% and 3.34 GAA. He hasn’t been credited with a win since Oct. 22.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Senators at Sabres: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Sabres 6, Senators 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Senators (+170) lost 4-3 in a shootout to the New Jersey Devils Monday, while the SABRES (-208) will play their first game since Saturday, Jan. 18. The head-to-head series is split 1-1. The Sabres won 4-2 at home Nov. 16, while the Sens responded with a 3-1 home win Dec. 23.

Buffalo is 14-6-3 at home for the season and Ottawa is just 5-15-4 on the road. Side with the Sabres and their home and rest advantages.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Sabres to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $4.81.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The projected goaltending matchup makes this selection a little dicey with plenty of goals expected for both sides, but I’m rolling with the SABRES (-1.5, +125) to win by at least 2 goals at plus-money. Buffalo is 29-20 against the spread overall and 13-10 on home ice. Ottawa is 26-23 ATS overall but just 11-13 on the road.

Both games between the two rivals this season were decided by multi-goal margins.

Over/Under (O/U)

The easiest choice Tuesday is the OVER 6.5 (+135) on the alternate Over/Under. The base line is set at 5.5 at a costly -154 price point. Neither starting goaltender inspires any confidence, and the Sabres will have star LW Jeff Skinner back in the lineup Tuesday to boost their scoring potential.  The two teams will be combining for at least 7 goals Tuesday.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 183-170

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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