Ottawa Senators vs San Jose Sharks Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 31, 2026

Ottawa heads into Saturday's game in San Jose with unfinished business. The Sharks beat the Senators 6-2 on October 22, and Ottawa has now lost two straight following Thursday's 6-5 overtime defeat against Los Angeles. The Senators are fourth in the Atlantic Division at 8-5-1 with 17 points. San Jose is also fourth in its division, holding a 7-6-1 record and 15 points after beating Vancouver 3-2 Thursday. The rematch takes place at SAP Center, with a 4:00 pm ET start on ESPN+. Browse our free NHL picks for the rest of Saturday's schedule.

Ottawa Senators Need to Sort Out Their Defense

Scoring wasn't Ottawa's problem Thursday night in Los Angeles. The Senators found the net five times, only to watch the Kings finish the job in overtime with a 6-5 victory. It's the second loss of Ottawa's current road trip, following Tuesday's 4-1 defeat in Vegas. The Senators had put seven goals past the Rangers last Saturday, but that victory came with four goals conceded. They've also experienced a rough night against San Jose recently, losing 6-2 at home. Ottawa needs to make life easier for its goaltenders, particularly when protecting the area directly in front of the net.

Tim Stutzle has been Ottawa's most productive forward, scoring eight goals and collecting 19 points. Drake Batherson has also reached eight goals, giving the Senators another player capable of finishing chances. The situation in goal is less reassuring. Linus Ullmark, who owns the NHL's best goals-against average at 1.33, is out. Ottawa has struggled to get the same level of goaltending from its other options, including Samuel Ersson. The Senators have enough scoring to trouble San Jose, but keeping the puck out of their own net is becoming just as important.

Injuries: Warren Foegele, Linus Ullmark and William Eklund are out. Andre Burakovsky is day-to-day.

San Jose Sharks Looking to Build on Thursday's Win

San Jose's return home brought a much-needed result Thursday. After being shut out 2-0 by Buffalo on Tuesday, the Sharks edged Vancouver 3-2 to avoid a third consecutive defeat. Boston had beaten them 6-4 over the weekend, but there were better moments earlier in the road trip, including a 6-2 victory against Ottawa and a 4-3 overtime win at Montreal. The Senators struggled to contain San Jose's attack in that first meeting. Saturday offers the Sharks another opportunity to find the same openings, this time in front of their home crowd.

Macklin Celebrini has 16 points, including 11 assists, and remains the player Ottawa needs to keep an eye on. Will Smith has been San Jose's leading goal scorer with six, while Tyler Toffoli has added four. The Sharks have had mixed results in goal, with Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic sharing the workload. Nedeljkovic has a slightly better goals-against average, but Askarov has collected more victories. San Jose will want a performance closer to Thursday's defensive effort than the six-goal defeat in Boston, particularly against Ottawa's dangerous forwards.

Injuries: Igor Chernyshov, Alexander Wennberg, Quentin Musty and Kyle Keyser are out.

Key To The Game

Ottawa has good reason to be wary of San Jose's attack after conceding six goals in their previous meeting. Celebrini can create trouble with his passing, and Smith has shown he can finish chances. The Senators need Stutzle and Batherson involved early, particularly with questions surrounding their goaltending. Special teams could also play a part. San Jose has converted 24.5% of its power plays, while Ottawa's penalty kill stands at 77.8%. 

Ottawa Senators vs San Jose Sharks Game Pick

• San Jose Sharks

San Jose already knows how to beat Ottawa, and the Sharks have home ice for Saturday's rematch. Their 6-2 victory last week showed what happens when Celebrini and his teammates find room to attack. Ottawa has conceded 10 goals across its last two defeats, with Ullmark's absence leaving a major question in net. San Jose isn't particularly reliable defensively either, but Thursday's win against Vancouver was encouraging. The Senators have enough scoring to keep this competitive. Still, I'm taking the Sharks to win.

Ottawa Senators vs San Jose Sharks Over/Under Pick

• Over

Ottawa's last three games have featured 11, five and 11 total goals, including the earlier meeting with San Jose. The Sharks have also been involved in several high-scoring games, particularly against Boston and Ottawa. Both clubs have talented forwards, but neither has consistently protected its net. Ullmark being unavailable adds another concern for the Senators, while San Jose allows more than three goals per game. I expect Stutzle and Celebrini to create chances at both ends. Over is my pick.