Let’s keep this thing rolling, shall we?
The Ottawa Senators kicked off their three game road trip through Western Canada in style with a convincing win over the Edmonton Oilers. Now they head to British Columbia looking for more of the same against the Vancouver Canucks.
Standings can be a little deceiving this time of year but it’s pretty crazy to think that with a Senators win and a Devils loss, Ottawa would be just two points back of the playoffs. The Penguins would still have three full games in hand but that should still give the Sens a little extra motivation. They need to go on a heck of a run here down the stretch but they are within striking distance, and that’s certainly more than we could say liiiiike four games ago.
While I’ll admit I almost never watch them play, this has apparently been a disastrous year for the Vancouver Canucks. On the ice their team is a mess and off the ice, their General Manager has come under fire for a series of questionable moves. With the trade deadline approaching, the Canucks would certainly fit squarely in the seller category. That can be a pretty huge distraction for veteran players but for the young guys on the team, it’s a chance to have an increased role and make a good impression down the stretch.
This may be a 24th place team but really, they’re just six points back of Ottawa. And have played two fewer games. It really shouldn’t be an issue for a team as desperate for points as Ottawa but this certainly isn’t a team to take lightly.
Dave Cameron has his team on the ice in Vancouver and it looks like they’ll go with the same line combinations as the other night in Edmonton. That means Patrick Wiercioch and Shane Prince are once again healthy scratches. Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
Hoffman-Turris-Stone
Dzingel-Zibanejad-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Chiasson
Paul-Lazar-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Borowiecki-Wideman
Craig Anderson gets another start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 10:00 PM so make sure you get a good pre-game nap in.
