For the second consecutive year, the Ottawa Senators have punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Ottawa secured their spot after the Detroit Red Wings took a 5-3 loss at home to New Jersey. The Sens also needed a win on Saturday to clinch, delivering with a 3-0 shutout over the New York Islanders earlier in the afternoon. “It’s been a long road,” the team said on X shortly after the Red Wings loss. Ottawa has won five of its six games in April, including a current four-game winning streak. The Senators have been on a tear since the Olympic break concluded, going 15-5-3. Ottawa was six points out from the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot with 25 regular-season games left entering the Olympic break. Ottawa has a record of 43-27-10 with two games left in the regular season. The Senators returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 last season, but were eliminated in the first round by Toronto. With files from The Canadian Press
