**Senators Conclude Pre-Season with Victory Over Canadiens** The Ottawa Senators capped off their pre-season with a decisive 3-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at the Bell Centre. This performance marked the Senators' strongest showing of the pre-season, as they dominated the game from start to finish. Forwards Lars Eller, David Perron, and Shane Pinto each scored for Ottawa, while goaltender Linus Ullmark made 19 saves, allowing only a goal from Cole Caufield of the Canadiens. “That was a pretty complete game,” said Senators coach Travis Green. “I liked the way we played defensively. We had some good looks, we created some offense, and it was a good way to end the pre-season.” The game was a stark contrast to their previous encounter, where the Senators suffered a 5-0 loss to the Canadiens, resulting in a combined 150 penalty minutes. In that match, seven players received fighting majors. This time, both teams focused on preparing for the upcoming NHL regular season instead of engaging in physical altercations. The Senators will open their regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. In their final pre-season game, the Senators aimed to improve their offensive performance after being outscored 12-1 in their last two games, including a 7-1 defeat to the St. Louis Blues. They had struggled to score against opposing goalies, netting only two goals in five exhibition games prior to Saturday. Pinto opened the scoring for Ottawa at 9:15 of the first period, redirecting a pass from Jake Sanderson. Perron extended the lead to 2-0 with a goal at 8:20 of the second period, redirecting a shot from Nick Jensen. Caufield scored for Montreal at 15:33 of the third period, breaking Ullmark's shutout bid. Eller sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute. The Senators also welcomed rugged forward Kurtis MacDermid, who made his debut after being acquired from the New Jersey Devils. MacDermid played on the fourth line and logged 8 minutes and 44 seconds of ice time. “I’m fired up. He’s a top-five heavyweight in this league,” said Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, who did not play in the game. “He’s going to be valuable to our group.” The Senators also evaluated players on the roster bubble, including forwards Ollie Lycksell, Arthur Kaliyev, and Stephen Halliday, as well as defenseman Donovan Sebrango. Kaliyev, who played in all six exhibition games, assisted on Pinto’s goal. With the NHL season opener approaching, the Senators must finalize their roster by 5 p.m. on Monday. Currently, 31 players remain in camp, and the health of winger Drake Batherson and defenseman Tyler Kleven will influence final decisions. Both players have been skating but are uncertain for the game against the Lightning.