GAME DAY PREVIEW: Ottawa Senators at Utah Mammoth 01/07/2026

The Ottawa Senators (20-16-5) are in Salt Lake City, visiting the Utah Mammoth (20-20-3) with a 9:30 p.m. EST start time.

After dropping a disappointing 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, and with a juggernaut Colorado Avalanche looming tomorrow, this almost feels must-win for Ottawa.

Here's how things looked at the Senators' morning skate, as Travis Green seems put the forward lines in a blender.

SENATORS PROJECTED LINE-UP

Batherson - Stützle - Cozens

Tkachuk - Pinto - Zetterlund

Amadio - Greig - Giroux

Cousins - Halliday - Perron

Sanderson - Zub

Chabot - Jensen

Kleven - Spence

Meriläinen

Søgaard

Extras: Eller, MacDermid, Matinpalo

Out: Ullmark (personal leave).

TAKEAWAYS

This is the third time in as many games that Green is rolling out a different look up front, completely mixing up the top three lines.

Dylan Cozens has moved to the wing alongside Drake Batherson and the red-hot Tim Stützle, whose point streak has reached 13 games (21 points, eight goals, 13 assists). This is a top-line combination that Green has experimented with at times this season, although more often with Stützle at the wing rather than Cozens.

Meanwhile, Shane Pinto is slotted between Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund, while Ridly Greig moves to centre the shutdown third line with Michael Amadio and Claude Giroux.

This team needs a spark, and although forwards haven't necessarily been the problem lately, putting your best six in the top six is one way to try to find a spark.

On the blueline, things remain the same as in Monday's loss. I do wonder if Nikolas Matinpalo draws into the lineup for tomorrow's game against Colorado, especially if Tyler Kleven or Nick Jensen struggle like they have recently.

After being pulled in the first period of Monday's game when he allowed three goals on eight shots (.625 SV%), Leevi Meriläinen gets the start in goal. With the noise around the goaltending situation in Ottawa, can the 23-year-old redeem himself?

Called up from Belleville, Mads Søgaard will back up and likely gets the tough Colorado assignment tomorrow.

Goaltending has been the single biggest reason the Sens have missed out on points of late, with their team SV% of .871 ranked last in the NHL. Meanwhile, their expected goals percentage is third behind only Colorado and Carolina.

MAMMOTH PROJECTED LINE-UP

Keller - Schmaltz - Crouse

Peterka - Hayton - Guenther

But - McBain - Carcone

Tanev - Kerfoot - Yamamotto

Sergachev - Durzi

Schmidt - Marino

Cole - DeSimone

Vejmelka

Vanecek

Extras: Maata, O'Brien

Out: Cooley, Stenlund, Thornton.

OPPONENT REPORT

The Mammoth have the same amount of wins as the Senators this season at 20, but are closer to the playoff line in a less competitive Western Conference. Utah is sitting exactly at NHL .500 this season, and are exactly that in their last ten games, going 5-5-0.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams, with Ottawa taking the first meeting 4-2 on Nov. 9 at Canadian Tire Centre.

Mammoth Head Coach André Tourigny told Utah media that there are some game time decisions tonight for their lineup. Kevin Stenlund was absent from their morning skate.

Karel Vejmelka is expected to get the start in goal, and was named to Czechia's Olympic Team on Tuesday. He's tied for the most wins in the NHL at 18, while sitting at a .899 SV%.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lars Eller again practiced with the team, after missing time due to a broken foot. Travis Green mentioned he could have gone tonight, but he likes the makeup of his fourth line of Nick Cousins, Stephen Halliday, and David Perron.

Ultimately everything comes down to goaltending right now. Another poor performance from Leevi Meriläinen could increase the urgency for Steve Staios to make a move.

Linus Ullmark was spotted at the Canadian Tire Centre on Monday, but there is still no timeline for his return to the crease.