Drake Batherson has established himself as a key player for the Ottawa Senators and is expected to maintain his strong performance tonight in their matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Through 48 games this season, Batherson has amassed 44 points, setting him on track to surpass 70 points for the first time in his career.
In the upcoming game, predictions suggest that Batherson will contribute to the scoresheet once more, particularly given his ability to perform consistently. He ranks second on the Senators in points, trailing only Tim Stutzle, and has recorded at least one point in 60% of his games. His likelihood of scoring increases to 67% when considering games against teams that are not among the top ten in goals allowed, which currently includes the Golden Knights.
The Knights have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 2.98 goals per game, compounded by injuries to their starting goalie, Adin Hill, who has faced difficulties during his appearances this season with an .871 save percentage. With the Senators’ offense averaging 3.4 goals over their last 20 games, Batherson is poised to lead the charge.
Notably, Batherson has shown he can thrive even in back-to-back game scenarios, recording nine points in seven such games this season. In a previous encounter with the Golden Knights, he registered a point and generated six shot attempts, indicating he could replicate or exceed that level of performance tonight.
Supporting Batherson in the offensive efforts is Tim Stutzle, who, though often recognized more for his playmaking, leads the Senators in goals and has scored in four of his last five games when paired with Batherson. With both teams experiencing high-scoring trends recently — Ottawa has averaged 3.40 goals per game while Vegas is at 3.85 — a high-scoring affair is anticipated.
As the Senators face off against the Golden Knights, fans can look forward to an exciting game where offensive talent is likely to shine, especially from key players like Batherson and Stutzle. The matchup is set to take place at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, with puck drop scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.