With just 17 games left in their season, the Ottawa Senators will face a stretch run full of must win games if they want to have any shot at playoff spot.
Listen, I understand how deep a hole the Senators have put themselves in here. It’s going to take a magical and entirely improbable run for the Senators to play their way back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. But it’s not impossible. Not yet, anyway. Five points out with 17 games to play is doable. They trail the Montreal Canadiens by 9 points, but have a couple games in hand and play the Habs again before the season is over. That is a closable gap.
There will be plenty of time to analyze “what went wrong” when the season is over. In the meantime, the team will be playing their biggest game of the season tonight in Montreal. And then will again play the biggest game of the season on Sunday against the Avalanche. That’s just the reality of the situation the Sens find themselves in.
I really feel like this is the best forward line up the Senators have iced all season. Of course it will all come down to ice time distribution but on paper, this looks like the best possible four lines the Senators can put together. Will be interesting to see how they perform. On defence, Patrick Wiercioch will watch another game from the press box. Here is how the Senators are expected to line up tonight in Montreal.
Michalek-Spezza-Hemsky
MacArthur-Turris-Ryan
Hoffman-Zibanejad-Condra
Greening-Smith-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Phillips-Ceci
Cowen-Gryba
Robin Lehner gets the start with Nathan Lawson as his back up. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
