The Ottawa Senators faced a difficult start without captain Brady Tkachuk, resulting in an 8-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Backup goalie Leevi Merilainen struggled, and the team couldn't recover from the poor performance, leading to their third straight loss.
The loss highlights the team's dependency on strong goaltending and the challenges they face without their captain.
No quote available in the text.
Author's summary: Senators lose 8-4 to Sabres without captain Brady Tkachuk.