Ottawa Senators vs Tampa Bay Lightning Picks and Predictions April 3rd 2025

Red-Hot Lightning Face Slumping Senators in Critical Atlantic Showdown

As the NHL regular season winds down, the Tampa Bay Lightning are catching fire at just the right time. With postseason positioning on the line, Tampa heads to Canada’s capital to take on the faltering Ottawa Senators—a team desperately clinging to wild-card hopes but quickly losing momentum.

Tampa Bay has surged to a 7-2-1 record in its last 10 games, earning points and confidence as the playoff race intensifies. The Senators, meanwhile, are reeling from a deflating 5-2 home loss to the last-place Buffalo Sabres, marking a disturbing trend for a team once in solid contention.

Lightning Surge into Playoff Form

Currently sitting in second place in the Atlantic Division with 93 points (44-25-5), the Lightning have found their groove both offensively and defensively. Their recent form has them trailing the Toronto Maple Leafs by just one point, while also keeping the Florida Panthers at bay.

Head coach Jon Cooper knows what’s at stake:

“You don’t want to roll into the playoffs with your ‘B’ game. You want your A game and everybody on the same page,” Cooper said after their 4-1 win over the Islanders.

With eight games remaining, Tampa Bay is not just chasing wins—they’re chasing home-ice advantage, and possibly the Atlantic Division crown.

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Kucherov and Guentzel Fuel the Fire

Nikita Kucherov continues to be a game-changer. His two-assist night against the Islanders extended his point streak to nine games, totaling five goals and 14 assists over that span. He’s playing some of the best hockey of his career—and that’s saying something.

Meanwhile, Jake Guentzel notched his 38th goal, tying Brayden Point for the team lead and giving the Lightning yet another scoring threat opponents have to respect.

Senators’ Season Spiraling Out of Control

The Ottawa Senators (39-29-6, 84 points) are barely holding on to a wild-card spot and look far from playoff-ready. Their latest loss to Buffalo—who had been in last place—was another gut punch in a series of missteps.

Buffalo swept the four-game season series, outscoring Ottawa 17-5. Worse yet, the Senators went 0-for-3 on the power play and looked disjointed from the start. Head coach Travis Green didn’t mince words:

“You get three power plays, you hope to get one. They got momentum off their kill, and we didn’t respond.”

To make matters worse, the team played without captain Brady Tkachuk, sidelined with an upper-body injury. His presence—and leadership—was sorely missed. Drake Batherson struggled mightily, posting a minus-5 rating in a forgettable night.

Playoff Implications Loom Large

This will be the final regular-season meeting between the two clubs, with Tampa Bay holding a 2-1 edge in the season series. If the standings hold, it’s entirely possible they’ll meet again in the first round of the playoffs, with Tampa potentially holding home-ice advantage.

Two months ago, these teams played a mini-playoff series in Florida, with Tampa taking both games in gritty fashion. The stakes are even higher now.

Key Matchup to Watch

What’s Next?

Tampa Bay continues to surge with eyes on finishing strong and securing a dominant playoff position. Ottawa, on the other hand, needs a wake-up call if it hopes to survive the cut.

This isn’t just another regular-season game—it’s a tone-setter for what could be a high-stakes playoff clash in a few weeks.

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