Ottawa has started the NHL season with the kind of momentum that quickly changes expectations. The Senators bring a 4-1-0 record into Monday’s meeting with New Jersey, while the Devils enter at 2-2-0 after producing their most complete performance of the young campaign.
The game is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at Prudential Center in Newark. The opening faceoff is set for 7:08 p.m. ET, creating an intriguing test for an Ottawa team that has been efficient, confident, and difficult to beat through its first five games.
Ottawa’s Early Success Has Multiple Sources
The Senators’ fast start cannot be attributed to one hot line or a lucky bounce. Ottawa has received timely scoring from its best offensive players, dependable work in goal, and enough composure in close games to turn narrow opportunities into victories.
The latest example came Saturday against Nashville. Ottawa escaped with a 3-2 shootout win, adding another valuable result to a record that already has the team near the top of the Atlantic Division standings. The Senators did not dominate every minute of that contest, but they found a way to finish it successfully.
That ability could become especially useful in Newark. New Jersey owns enough speed and skill to create stretches of sustained pressure, so Ottawa will need to remain patient when the game becomes fast or unpredictable. A road victory over the Devils would provide a stronger indication that the Senators’ opening run is more than a brief burst of early-season energy.
Ottawa is also benefiting from the emergence of Tim Stützle as its central offensive engine. The German center has four goals and four assists for eight points in five games, numbers that place him at the heart of nearly every important attacking sequence.
Stützle’s impact extends beyond the scoresheet. His acceleration allows him to carry the puck through the neutral zone, while his vision forces defenders to make difficult choices. When opponents back away to respect his speed, he can create passing lanes; when they challenge him aggressively, he has the skill to slip around the first defender.
He also scored on the power play and added an assist in Ottawa’s win over Nashville. If New Jersey gives him room near the circles or allows him to enter the offensive zone with control, the Devils could spend much of the night reacting instead of dictating play.
Ullmark Has Made Mistakes Less Costly
Ottawa’s attack has earned much of the attention, but its goaltending has been equally important. Linus Ullmark is 4-0-0 in four starts, with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.
Those statistics give the Senators a significant foundation on the road. A team does not need to be perfect in front of a goaltender performing at that level, because one difficult turnover or an uneven defensive shift does not automatically become a goal against.
Still, Ullmark’s strong beginning should not encourage Ottawa to become careless. New Jersey has several players who can finish quickly, particularly when opponents lose coverage in the middle of the ice. The Devils’ top forwards will test Ullmark with movement, cross-ice passes, and second chances around the crease.
If the Senators protect the slot and limit rebound opportunities, Ullmark’s current form could become one of the clearest differences between the teams. If they allow New Jersey repeated attacks from dangerous areas, even an excellent goaltender may eventually be overwhelmed.
New Jersey’s Top Line Is Finding Its Rhythm
The Devils arrive with confidence after defeating Vancouver 4-1 at Prudential Center on Saturday. The result moved New Jersey to 2-2-0 and gave the home team an encouraging performance before facing Ottawa.
Captain Nico Hischier led the way with two goals and an assist. One of those goals marked the 200th of his NHL career, adding a personal milestone to an already influential night.
Hischier was especially dangerous on the power play, scoring twice with New Jersey holding the extra skater. Jesper Bratt contributed a goal and an assist, while Jack Hughes supplied two assists. Their combined production showed how quickly the Devils can turn possession into offense when their key players are moving the puck decisively.
That group will need to maintain the same pace against Ottawa. The Senators have been difficult to break down, and Ullmark has given them confidence to defend patiently. New Jersey may not receive many clean looks at even strength, making every special-teams opportunity more valuable.
Discipline Could Decide the Result
The most obvious tactical concern for Ottawa is its penalty count. New Jersey converted three of four power-play opportunities against Vancouver, with Hischier responsible for two of those goals and Bratt scoring the other.
Ottawa cannot afford to offer the Devils a steady stream of chances with an extra attacker. Hischier is capable of finding soft areas near the net, Bratt can attack seams from the flank, and Hughes can manipulate defenders with his skating and puck control. Repeated penalties would allow New Jersey’s best players to spend too much time in offensive situations.
The Senators should emphasize controlled exits, disciplined stick work, and clean defensive positioning. Aggressive play is useful when it produces pressure, but reaching or arriving late can quickly turn a promising shift into a dangerous penalty-killing sequence.
Special teams may also create pressure on New Jersey. Ottawa’s power play features Stützle’s creativity and could force the Devils’ penalty killers to protect multiple threats at once. The team that manages the officials’ whistles more effectively may gain the advantage in an otherwise balanced game.
Two Centers Could Shape the Story
The individual battle between Stützle and Hischier deserves close attention. Stützle enters the matchup with four goals, four assists, and eight points, making him Ottawa’s most productive player during the opening week.
Hischier, meanwhile, brings the confidence of a three-point outing and the responsibility of leading New Jersey’s top group. Both centers can create offense, contribute on special teams, and influence the game without needing constant possession.
The contrast in their strengths could make the matchup particularly compelling. Stützle is at his most dangerous when he accelerates into space and turns transition chances into immediate attacks. Hischier combines intelligence, positioning, and finishing ability, giving New Jersey a player who can hurt opponents both at even strength and on the power play.
Whichever center controls the middle of the ice may help his team control the larger game. Ottawa wants Stützle attacking with speed, while New Jersey will look for Hischier and Hughes to establish possession before the Senators can generate transition opportunities.
A Meaningful Test for Both Clubs
For Ottawa, this game is an opportunity to move to 5-1-0 and strengthen the argument that the team belongs among the Atlantic Division’s serious contenders. The Senators have already shown that they can win close games, but a strong road performance against a dangerous opponent would provide another layer of credibility.
New Jersey has a different objective. After an uneven opening four games, the Devils need to build on the Vancouver victory and prove that their top offensive players can produce consistently. Finishing the homestand with another win would put the team back above .500 and create useful momentum.
The matchup features an in-form scorer, an outstanding early-season goaltender, and a Devils power play that has just displayed its full potential. Ottawa’s speed and confidence will challenge New Jersey, while the home team’s finishing ability will test the Senators’ defensive discipline.
Canadian viewers will be watching one question closely: can Stützle continue driving Ottawa’s offense, or will Hischier and the Devils’ power play interrupt the Senators’ remarkable opening run?
Game Details
Ottawa meets New Jersey at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday, October 12, 2026. The scheduled start time is 7:08 p.m. ET.
The Senators enter with a 4-1-0 record, while the Devils are 2-2-0. Ottawa’s key statistical story is Stützle’s eight points in five games and Ullmark’s 4-0-0 record with a .942 save percentage. New Jersey counters with Hischier, who is coming off a two-goal, three-point performance against Vancouver.
Those elements make this one of the night’s most appealing NHL matchups: Ottawa has the stronger record, New Jersey has home ice, and both teams possess enough star power to change the result in a single shift.
