In 2017, the Ottawa Senators lost in double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were so close to capturing their first championship — something that eludes them to this day.

It was a downhill slide from there for the Senators. They missed the playoffs the following year. And the year after that. Then came the 2020 playoff bubble, where all but seven teams made the playoffs.

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The Senators were one of those teams.

Their slide has continued to the present day, but they hope this year will be different. They had a handful of high draft picks during their down years and those players are now blossoming into the next wave of Senators stars.

Who are the Ottawa Senators’ star players?

German phenom Tim Stützle joined the team by way of the third-overall pick in 2020. Now entering his fifth season, he has done nothing but produce. He’s already got seven points and he’s only played five games.

Team captain Brady Tkachuk was the fourth-overall pick in 2018. He’s good for 70-80 points and 130 penalty minutes per year. He plays a hard-nosed, gritty style that would be best suited for the playoffs. It’s just a shame he’s never had the chance to play in the playoffs.

Goaltending has caused the Senators to fall short of their potential the last few seasons. They allowed a goal on the first or second shot of the game 20 times last season. That’s no longer a worry, now that they have former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, who is expected to return to action on Tuesday after missing 11 days due to injury.

The Senators acquired Ullmark from the Boston Bruins just before game seven of the Stanley Cup Final in June. They signed him to a four-year contract extension the day before their first game of the season, so they’ll have him there for a while.

Ottawa Senators team history

If you dislike the name “Utah Hockey Club” because it “seems European” or is a “soccer name,” you’ve failed to recognize the history of hockey in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Hockey Club dominated the early days of the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup 11 times. Though that was the official team name, they were also known as the Ottawa Silver Seven and the Ottawa Senators during that time.

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Many businesses struggled in the 1920s and ‘30s, including the Ottawa HC franchise. They eventually moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where they became the St. Louis Eagles, but they’d fold completely in 1935.

The NHL revived the Senators in 1992, expanding to both Ottawa and Tampa Bay.

Though this iteration of the Senators has never won the Cup, the team made it to the Final in 2007, where they lost in five games to the Anaheim Ducks.

Utah HC’s keys to success

The Senators have had some high-scoring games this year, as has Utah HC. The doors could blow open quickly on Tuesday.

With so many injuries to Utah HC’s defense, combined with shaky goaltending early, the key will be to stay out of the penalty box. Utah HC can’t afford to spend more time than necessary in their defensive zone.

“They defend really well,” said Utah HC head coach André Tourigny after practice on Monday. They’re really stingy on their rushes against (and) their D skate well on their breakout.”

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He also mentioned that the Senators’ rushes are dangerous. All that being said, Tourigny doesn’t expect a high-scoring game.

“(I) never expect a high-scoring game,” he said. “We can score high, as long as they don’t.”

Ullmark is expected to return to the Senators’ lineup after missing nearly two weeks with an injury.

Where to watch

The game will be available on both Utah HC+ and Utah 16 cable. Ticketmaster also has tickets for as low as $35 at the time of writing.

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