Shorthanded playoff-bound Ottawa Senators drop 4-3 OT decision to New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) reacts after scoring the winning goal in front of Ottawa Senators defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo, bottom left, during overtime of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 12, 2026, in Newark, N.J. Photo by Adam Hunger /AP

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The Ottawa Senators opted to rest some of their best Sunday night.

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With their ticket already punched to the National Hockey League playoffs, it turned out to be a good idea, as the Senators were forced to work overtime in a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

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While Fabian Zetterlund, Shane Pinto, and Michael Amadio scored for the shorthanded Senators, Nico Hischier scored on the powerplay at 3:18 of OT to secure the victory over the Devils.

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The Senators sat captain Brady Tkachuk and top centre Tim Stutzle, along with defencemen Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot. Both of the blueliners returned recently from a shoulder injury and a broken arm, respectively, so they can use the rest.

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Tkachuk is still feeling the effects of a hit he took against the Isles on Saturday, but will be ready for the playoffs.

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Stephen Halliday and Kurtis MacDermid dressed up front, while Cameron Crotty and Dennis Gilbert went in on defence. Halliday hadn’t played since March 3 in Edmonton, and it was MacDermid’s first game since March 5 against the Calgary Flames.

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After making seven straight starts, Linus Ullmark was given the night off in favour of backup James Reimer. He allowed four goals on 30 shots, while Nico Daws was solid for the Devils.

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“It was a big point,” said coach Travis Green. “We had a lot of good players out of the lineup tonight. Guys battled, but when you give up two shorthanded goals, it’s tough to win in the NHL.

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New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer tied it up 3-3 on a shorthanded breakaway at 12:28 of the third.

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So, who will they face?

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All that’s left to determine now is who the Senators will take on in Round 1.

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A 3-2 victory by the Boston Bruins over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday meant the Senators can still finish in either the first or second wildcard spot.

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Depending on the results in the final three days of the regular season, the Senators could still face the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens or Tampa Bay Lightning.

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The Senators are sitting in the second wildcard spot in the East as a result of the overtime loss. If the Bruins beat the Devils on Tuesday at home, then the Senators will finish as the second wildcard team.

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If not? We’ll deal with that if it happens.

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The playoffs are scheduled to open on Saturday. It would make sense that if the Senators and Habs don’t face each other, Hockey Night in Canada will want them on opposite nights.

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If that’s the case, the Senators may have to wait until Sunday to start the playoffs on the road. Make no mistake, ESPN and TNT in the United States will also have a say in the schedule.

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The Senators closed out the season with an impressive 21-15-5 record on the road.

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Never say never

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The Senators battled back from a 2-0 deficit in this one by taking over the game in the second period and scoring three unanswered goals.