This five game home stand has not started well for the Ottawa Senators.
They laid an egg in the first game and were shutout by the Vancouver Canucks. They were much better on Thursday night but an ugly third period cost them against a speedy New Jersey Devils team. Another point in the bank but the second one was obviously there for the taking.
Their home record is now a disappointing 0-1-3 through four games. Wins have been there for the taking but they just haven’t been able to finish the job.
The Senators go searching for their first home ice win of the season as they take the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday night.
Based on Boucher’s comments yesterday, it sounds like they’ll will be missing a couple players tonight. Zack Smith is out for the next week with an upper body injury. Mark Borowiecki is considered day to day but he’s not expected to play.
“If you look at last year after 7 games, and you look at this year… We’re ahead in every department.”
– Guy Boucher pic.twitter.com/AITFcHbIQz— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) October 20, 2017
Chris DiDomenico, who had 5 points through 4 AHL games, has been recalled to take Zack Smith’s spot in the line up. He’s expected to skate on the fourth line with Logan Brown to start.
Sometime in the near future, Boucher has to consider breaking up that Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt line. While they had some success with that trio in the past, it just hasn’t been working this year. It’s clear that the Coach is looking to balance his line up as much as possible but Turris could probably benefit from a few games with Hoffman at his side.
A line of Hoffman-Turris-Dzingel could be worth a look.
No morning skate today but players and coaches will meet with the media just after 11:00 AM. We’ll find out more about the line up then but in the meantime, a best guess at how the Senators will line up for this one.
Ryan-Brassard-Stone
Dzingel-Turris-Burrows
Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt
Thompson-Brown-DiDomenico
Oduya-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson-Wideman
Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM. Game is available on CBC.
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-1-0 | 3-1-3 |
| Goals For | 4.86 (1st) | 3.29 (12th) |
| Goals Against | 3.14 (20th) | 2.29 (3rd) |
| Power Play | 30.0% (3rd) | 18.9% (17th) |
| Penalty Kill | 83.3% (T-8th) | 95.2% (2nd) |
| Shots For/Shots Against | 34.7 (8th) 31.6 (13th) |
33.7 (T-10th) 31.0 (T-12th) |
| Ice Time Leaders | Zaitsev- 22:59 Hainsey- 21:52 Gardiner- 21:31 |
Karlsson- 24:46 Ceci- 22:42 Phaneuf- 21:48 |
| Leading Scorers | Matthews- 10 pts Kadri- 8 pts JVR- 7 pts |
Turris- 8 pts Brassard- 7 pts Stone- 6 pts |
| Team Shooting % | 14% (1st) | 9.7% (15th) |
