After the last two losses, this is a fan base on the edge.
Reading through some of the comments the last couple days you would think this is a team at the bottom of the division. You would think this an organization that has missed the playoffs in ten straight seasons. You would think, the sky above us was quite literally falling down.
But that’s not the case. Not yet, anyway.
The Senators have certainly had their issues this year.
The losses to Carolina and Nashville were bad. But had they hung on in that game against Carolina and found a way to close against Nashville, it would have been four straight wins, wins in six of seven. The tone around here would have been completely different. But hockey can be a cruel game sometimes and this fan base can turn on a team pretty quick.
Those two losses have magnified Ottawa’s early season struggles and now Sens fans have their collective hand placed firmly atop the panic button.
Which is why this upcoming home stand is so important.
The Ottawa Senators will play their next five games at the Canadian Tire Centre. A good run at home would go a long way towards easing the tension that has surfaced the last few days. It starts tonight against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks roll into Ottawa sitting atop the Pacific Division with a 7-4-5 record. Like Ottawa, they probably aren’t quite as good as their record would suggest but they have to still be pretty happy with their start. They’re currently in the middle of a seven game road trip and have a 5-1-2 record away from home. Not surprisingly, their offensive attack continues to be paced by Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Those two will be a handful for Ottawa defenders tonight.
Speaking of which, it seems as though Dave Cameron will make one change to the blueline. Patrick Wiercioch sits after an ugly game in Nashville. Pretty baffling the amount of room for error given to Cowen and Borowiecki relative to Wiercioch but there’s no doubt Wiercioch struggled on Tuesday night. One change up front too as Shane Prince moves to the pressbox. Matt Puempel will take his spot in the line up. Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
Hoffman-Turris-Stone
Puempel-Zibanejad-Ryan
Michalek-Pageau-Chiasson
Lazar-Smith-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Ceci
Borowiecki-Wideman
Andrew Hammond gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is set for just after 7:30 PM.
