After a deflating overtime loss to one hated rival yesterday, the Sens have a chance to flush it down the toilet when they visit another hated rival for a 5:00pm start in Detroit.
Given the quotes coming out of the Sens locker room yesterday, it’ll be fascinating to see how the Senators psychologically respond, and who starts for them in goal. Through the 2018 to 2024 seasons, we were used to seeing a young, immature team respond in… young, immature ways – over-aggression culminating in penalties, cheating for offence, complaining when calls don’t go their way. Tonight is a chance to showcase belief and faith in the players they have, continue to trust their game despite poor goaltending performances, and get two points to not lose pace in the East. All of which are important!
Sens lines
The Sens have lined up in a similar manner for a few games in a row now, starting in New York (below); the big question mark will be in net:
Projected for the #Sens at MSG: Leevi Meriläinen gets the start while James Reimer backs him up, per the team:
Zetterlund-Stützle-Batherson
Tkachuk-Cozens-Greig
Amadio-Pinto-Giroux
Cousins-Eller-Perron
Sanderson-Zub
Chabot-Jensen
Kleven-Spence
— Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie.bsky.social) 2026-01-15T00:13:48.486Z
Wings lines
Here’s how Todd McLellan’s group lined up on Friday night against the Sharks:
JVR-Larkin-Raymond
DeBrincat-Copp-Kane
Kasper-Compher-Finnie
Soderblom-Rasmussen-Appleton
Edvinsson-Seider
Chiarot-ASP
Johansson-JBD
John Gibson started that night, so we’ll see if he starts again, or if the Sens face one-time starter Cam Talbot. The Wings have no injuries to name.
Game notes
- The Red Wings continue to be middle-of-the-pack in just about every team stat other than their PP%, but find themselves tied for the Atlantic Division lead with Tampa Bay. Their new goaltender, John Gibson, has really settled in now, with a 0.903% save-percentage above the median team save-percentage of 0.897% to not be a detriment.
- My criticism of Detroit last season was that they expected a lot despite only really having one quality line (DeBrincat, Larkin, Raymond) and one quality defenceman (Seider), with Patrick Kane in the Giroux role. That wasn’t enough to end their playoff drought. This year, they’ve added another defenceman (Edvinsson), two forwards (Finnie, Van Riemsdyk), and had Andrew Copp re-emerge as a solid player. They’re hoping that’s enough.
- How are the former Sens doing? Travis Hamonic has played 19 games, adding one assist, while Jacob Bernard-Docker has three assists in 33. Cam Talbot has a 0.892% in 22 games.
- The Red Wings have more players coming next season in Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. Their AHL affiliate, Grand Rapids, leads the league with 30 wins in 36 games. Pierre Dorion’s attempt to jumpstart the team’s contending window in 2022 and 2023 really hurts the team now in 2025-26.
- Meanwhile, the Sens will have to embody the legendary Arthur Ashe quote of “start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” They continue to play incredibly well in front of their goaltenders, and a loss despite scoring 5 goals has to sting. Travis Green noted that he’d rather have the team angry than sulking – I agree – and it’ll be interesting to see what type of energy they come out with to start this game. Cousins, Batherson, and Perron all took penalties by being over-aggressive against Montréal, and two of them led to goals against. It’ll be important to be mature as they try to overwhelm Detroit at 5-on-5.
Statistics
Game 48SenatorsRed Wings
Category#Rank#Rank
Goals/GP3.2611th3.0818th
Goals against/GP3.3829th3.0214th
Shots/GP28.613th2816th
Shots against/GP25.13rd28.114th
Powerplay %23.68th24.76th
Penalty Kill %71.931st8013th
Corsi % (5v5 SVA)53.265th48.5320th
xGF% (5v5 SVA)54.245th49.8816th
SenatorsRed Wings
CategoryPlayer#Player#
GoalsStützle21DeBrincat25
AssistsSanderson29Raymond38
PointsStützle49Raymond52
ShotsStützle117DeBrincat167
TOI/GPSanderson25:09Seider25:20
