The reigning representatives, the 6th-seeded ’25-’26 Ottawa Senators, got off to a good start. They took Game 1 4-2 as Hooley Smith‘s goal and two assists led the way. The 3rd-seeded ’20-’21 Ottawa Senators rebounded with a 5-0 shutout backed by a 31-save performance from Clint Benedict. Winger Jack Darragh and defenseman George Boucher both posted two goals and two assists in the win for the ’20-’21 Senators. Smith posted two assists in Game 3 as the ’25-’26 Senators retook the series lead with a 2-1 win. The ’20-’21 Senators held a 2-0 lead after the first period of Game 4 with Frank Nighbor scoring one of them and assisting on the other. After the second period, however, their lead was just 3-2. Late in the third, with goaltender Alec Connell pulled for the extra attacker, the ’25-’26 Senators tied the game thanks from Smith, which forced an overtime. After 20 minutes of overtime, neither team had scored, so it went to a double overtime before Smith scored yet again to give the ’25-’26 Senators a 3-1 series lead.
The two teams then exploded for seven goals in the first period of Game 5. The ’20-’21 Senators held a 4-3 lead going into the second period and then they outscored the ’25-’26 Senators 3-1 in that second period. Cy Denneny was just one of many offensive stars in the game for the ’20-’21 Senators. He posted two goals and three assists for five points and Darragh posted two goals and two assists in the win. Defenseman Morley Bruce also potted two goals for the ’20-’21 Senators and Nighbor pitched in a goal and two assists. Meanwhile, the Denneny on the ’25-’26 Senators also had a very good game as he posted two goals and an assist in the loss. In Game 6, the ’25-’26 Senators found themselves trailing 3-2 after two periods. Three goals in the third, though, including two from Denneny, helped turn the table and end the series with a 5-4 win in Game 6.
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’25-’26 Senators | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 4 |
’20-’21 Senators | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’25-’26 OTS – 4 ’20-’21 OTS – 2 (1-0 ’25-’26 OTS)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Hooley Smith (’25-’26 OTS) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +3 9 S
2nd Star: G – Clint Benedict (’20-’21 OTS) – L 4.00 GAA .927 SV% (51 SV’s)
3rd Star: LW – Hec Kilrea (’25-’26 OTS) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +3 2 S
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’25-’26 Senators | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
’20-’21 Senators | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’20-’21 OTS – 5 ’25-’26 OTS – 0 (1-1)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: G – Clint Benedict (’20-’21 OTS) – W 0.00 GAA 1.000 SV% (31 SV’s)
2nd Star: RW – Jack Darragh (’20-’21 OTS) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +2 7 S
3rd Star: D – George Boucher (’20-’21 OTS) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +2 7 S 21 PIM
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’20-’21 Senators | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 |
’25-’26 Senators | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’25-’26 OTS – 2 ’20-’21 OTS – 1 (2-1 ’25-’26 OTS)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Hooley Smith (’25-’26 OTS) – 0 G 2 A 2 P +2 4 S
2nd Star: G – Clint Benedict (’25-’26 OTS) – L 2.00 GAA .938 SV% (30 SV’s)
3rd Star: LW – Cy Denneny (’25-’26 OTS) – 0 G 1 A 1 P +1 10 S
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’20-’21 Senators | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
’25-’26 Senators | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’25-’26 OTS – 4 ’20-’21 OTS – 3 (OT) (3-1 ’25-’26 OTS)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Hooley Smith (’25-’26 OTS) – 2 G 1 A 3 P Even 13 S
2nd Star: G – Clint Benedict (’25-’26 OTS) – OTL 4.00 GAA .920 SV% (46 SV’s)
3rd Star: LW – Cy Denneny (’25-’26 OTS) – 1 G 1 A 2 P Even 16 S
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’25-’26 Senators | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 |
’20-’21 Senators | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 7 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’20-’21 OTS – 7 ’25-’26 OTS – 4 (3-2 ’25-’26 OTS)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: LW – Cy Denneny (’20-’21 OTS) – 2 G 3 A 5 P +4 9 S
2nd Star: RW – Jack Darragh (’20-’21 OTS) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +2 6 S 2 PIM
3rd Star: C – Frank Nighbor (’20-’21 OTS) – 1 G 2 A 3 P +4 4 S
1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | 2nd Overtime | Total | |
’20-’21 Senators | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 |
’25-’26 Senators | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’25-’26 OTS – 5 ’20-’21 OTS – 4 (4-2 ’25-’26 OTS)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: LW – Cy Denneny (’25-’26 OTS) – 2 G 1 A 3 P +1 21 S
2nd Star: D – George Boucher (’20-’21 OTS) – 2 G 1 A 3 P -1 7 S
3rd Star: RW – Jack Darragh (’20-’21 OTS) – 1 G 2 A 3 P -2 1 S
That concludes the 1st Round of the 2015 Ottawa Senators (original) Qualifying Tournament! The Semifinal Round takes place tomorrow!