The Buffalo Sabres delivered a late holiday disappointment to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, halting their festive-season momentum with a 3-2 overtime victory at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Streak Ends in Heartbreaking Fashion
In front of a crowd of 17,753 fans, the Senators saw their four-game winning streak come to an abrupt end. The surging Sabres, who extended their own win streak to six games, played the role of Grinch as Bowen Byram fired the winner just 31 seconds into the extra frame, capping a three-point night.
The loss was a missed opportunity for Ottawa to create distance in the standings. Coming into the matchup, the Senators held only a two-point lead over Buffalo, making this a crucial game before the holiday break.
Stutzle Stays Hot in Losing Effort
Ottawa's offense was powered by Tim Stutzle, who continued his torrid pace heading into the holidays. Stutzle tied the game 2-2 in the second period with a power-play blast past Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon, assisted by Drake Batherson.
That goal extended Stutzle's point-scoring streak to eight games, a stretch in which he has compiled an impressive seven goals and 15 points. Ridly Greig also found the back of the net for the Senators in regulation.
In net, Linus Ullmark turned in a solid performance for Ottawa, while Buffalo's Alex Lyon was equally stout at the other end. The game was a tight, defensive battle, a stark contrast to the teams' first meeting this season, an 8-4 Buffalo victory on October 15.
Sabres Continue Their Dominance
The victory extends Buffalo's recent mastery over Ottawa. The Sabres have now won six consecutive games against the Senators, sweeping last season's series. Ottawa's last win against Buffalo dates back to March 27, 2024.
The game was deadlocked 2-2 after two periods, with the Senators holding a slight 20-19 edge in shots. Buffalo took the lead twice during regulation, only to have Ottawa battle back to tie it on both occasions. The Senators had a late power-play chance to win it in regulation but could not capitalize.
Noah Ostlund scored Buffalo's second goal, tipping a puck past Ullmark at 6:11 of the second period to give the Sabres a temporary 2-1 lead. The goal came after a long shift by a tired Senators unit that struggled to clear the defensive zone.
The result leaves Ottawa searching for answers as they head into the Christmas break, their promising winning streak replaced by the sting of an overtime defeat against a divisional rival.
