San Jose Sharks vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Predictions for Thursday, October 22, 2026

The San Jose Sharks are in Ottawa on Thursday for a matchup with the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm ET, and ESPN+ will carry the game. San Jose is coming off a 4-3 overtime win against Montreal on Tuesday, bringing its record to 5-4-1. The Sharks have 11 points and sit fourth in the Pacific Division. Ottawa is 6-3-0 with 12 points, good for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Senators lost 3-1 to Philadelphia on Saturday and have Florida visiting Wednesday night. That means Ottawa will be finishing a back-to-back against San Jose. Check out our free NHL picks for Thursday's games.

San Jose Looking to Build on Its Latest Win

A trip through eastern Canada has produced mixed results for the Sharks. Tuesday brought a 4-3 overtime win in Montreal, but Toronto had beaten them 3-1 the night before. San Jose also lost a shootout in Detroit and won one in Nashville. It's been that kind of stretch, with several games close enough to go either way. Keeping the puck out has been the tougher part. The Sharks have surrendered 34 goals in 10 games, compared with 26 scored. That difference has made every missed scoring chance a little more costly.

Macklin Celebrini has been San Jose's biggest offensive threat, collecting 14 points through 10 games. Five of those points have come from goals, and he's put 37 shots on net. The Sharks have also been productive with an extra skater, converting 24.2% of their power-play opportunities. Goaltending has been a different story depending on who's playing. Yaroslav Askarov has two wins but owns a 3.67 goals-against average with an .865 save percentage. Alex Nedeljkovic has three victories and an overtime loss, along with a 2.37 average and .917 save percentage.

Injuries: Alexander Wennberg is out. Quentin Musty and Kyle Keyser are on injured reserve.

Ottawa Needs More Help for Its Goaltender

Ottawa's last five games have been a strange mix. The Senators lost 3-1 in Philadelphia, won 2-1 against the Islanders in a shootout and gave up seven goals in a loss to St. Louis. They also beat New Jersey 4-1 and Nashville 3-2 in a shootout. Ottawa scores just 2.44 goals per game while allowing 2.56, and the power play has converted only 12.8%. The Senators haven't been getting many shots either, averaging 23.1 a night.

Tim Stutzle has been Ottawa's most productive skater, scoring five goals and adding seven assists in nine games. Drake Batherson has four goals, while Claude Giroux and Shane Pinto have six points each. Linus Ullmark has done a lot to keep Ottawa competitive. He's 6-1-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and .945 save percentage, impressive numbers for a team that isn't scoring much. Samuel Ersson has struggled in his two starts, allowing 5.26 goals per game. Ottawa has a clear advantage when Ullmark is in the crease.

Injuries: Thomas Chabot is out. William Eklund and Kurtis MacDermid are on injured reserve.

Key To The Game

San Jose's power play converts 24.2% of its chances, while Ottawa has killed 79.4% of penalties. The Sharks can exploit that matchup, but Ullmark's form presents a harder problem. Ottawa needs to keep Celebrini away from dangerous shooting areas.

San Jose vs Ottawa Game Pick

• Ottawa Senators

Ottawa hasn't scored much, but Ullmark has been outstanding with a 1.33 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. San Jose comes off an overtime win at Montreal, yet the Sharks are allowing 3.40 goals per game. Celebrini can create chances, and the San Jose power play is dangerous. Ottawa has the steadier defensive numbers, though, and its goaltending advantage will make the difference. The Senators will win at home Thursday.

San Jose vs Ottawa Over/Under Pick

• Under

Ottawa averages only 2.44 goals per game and takes 23.1 shots a night. Ullmark has also been difficult to beat, posting an excellent .945 save percentage in seven starts. San Jose has played several close games recently, including two shootout decisions against Nashville and Detroit. Celebrini gives the Sharks scoring potential, but this doesn't have to become a wide-open game. The two teams will finish under on Thursday in Ottawa.