The Senators bring the stronger record and power-index position, but Washington’s tougher schedule profile keeps this matchup close.
Ottawa brings a two-game winning streak and 23 points into Tuesday’s 7 p.m. ET home date, five points ahead of Washington’s 18 despite having played three more games. Both teams have won three of their last five, while Ottawa sits 11th in DYMA’s power index and Washington ranks 14th. Tim Stützle leads the Senators with 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 17 games; Washington’s Jordan Kyrou tops the Capitals with 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) in 13. Ottawa’s edge depends on Stützle sustaining that production, while Washington can challenge the gap by making its tougher schedule count: its opponents’ win percentage is .544, compared with Ottawa’s .468.