The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens – the two Eastern Conference Wild Card holders who've been cranky with each other all season – will face off on Friday night at Canadian Tire Centre in a game with heavy playoff implications.

A regulation win would secure the Canadiens' first playoff berth since 2021, the year they made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final. But there’s more than just their ticket to the postseason on the line: Montreal also has a chance to gain ground on the Sens, who hold a three-point lead on the Canadiens for the top wild card spot in the East.

A good chunk of both fan bases is buzzing about the idea and entertainment value of a first-round showdown against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Friday’s outcome could bring the winner closer to that. 

A win for Ottawa would pretty much nail down the top Wild Card spot, extending their lead over Montreal to five points with three to play. It would also prevent the Canadiens from completing a season sweep of the Senators, who have dropped the first three meetings between the two clubs.

Sens centre Shane Pinto was unable to pinpoint why the Canadiens have played them so well this season, describing their 0-3 record against them as "annoying."

"Yeah, they're a good team with a lot of skill players," Pinto told the media on Friday.  "Every game we play against them, I feel like it's been highly competitive, and it's a bit of a rivalry. But they're just a good team. I feel like they play us well, and hopefully, we turn those tables and get a win. But no specific reason. I think they've just kind of had our number this year, but hopefully, that changes tonight."

Ottawa will once again be without captain Brady Tkachuk, who's sidelined with an injury suffered nearly two weeks ago in Pittsburgh. On Thursday, he said he expected to resume skating on Friday. If he did, it wasn't at Friday’s optional skate. 

The Senators are still without forward Nick Cousins, who hasn’t played since January. Cousins practiced fully for a second straight day without the non-contact jersey, but the team says he won’t dress for Friday’s game.

At the last full practice on Thursday, head coach Travis Green gave his top two forward lines a hard reboot, but wouldn't commit the same combos against the Habs.

Tim Stutzle centred one line with David Perron and Drake Batherson, while Dylan Cozens slotted in on the second line alongside Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund. The third and fourth lines remained unchanged, with Shane Pinto centering Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio, and Adam Gaudette likely to skate with Matthew Highmore and Angus Crookshank.

"I wouldn't read too much into (the changes)," Green cautioned after Thursday's practice. "Timmy and Drake played together before in the past. They played the other night together after the first (in Columbus).

Cozens, acquired at the trade deadline, got off to a strong start in Ottawa with eight points in his first nine games, but his production has cooled in the past two weeks—he has just two assists in his last eight appearances. 

Jake Sanderson has now recorded points in each of his last six home games. He’s now one game away from becoming just the third defenseman in franchise history to register a seven-game point streak on home ice, joining Erik Karlsson (eight games) and Filip Kuba (nine).

Montreal, meanwhile, continues to surge at the right time. Nick Suzuki has helped lead the way with six goals and 12 points in the past six games.

Adding to the excitement in Montreal these days is the late season arrival of KHL star Ivan Demidov, Montreal’s first-round pick in the 2024 Draft. While he is expected to join the Canadiens before the end of the regular season, his NHL debut will not be on Friday in Ottawa. 

Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. (RDS, SNE, SNO, SNW).

- Brady Tkachuk: 'I Don’t Think I’d Ever Miss An Opportunity To Play In The Playoffs
- The Five Core Ottawa Senator Players Most Ready To Finally Experience Playoffs
- David Perron Chosen As Ottawa Senators 2025 Masterton Trophy Nominee
- CLINCHED: Ottawa Senators Officially Clinch First Playoff Spot In Eight Years
- From Another November Struggle To The Verge Of The Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Former Ottawa Senators Assistant GM Ray Shero Passes Away At Age 62