The calendar tells me it was only four days ago but it honestly feels like a month since I last watched an Ottawa Senators’ hockey game.
After some time to rest and relax during the holiday season, the Senators finally return to the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre for a tough match up against Henrik Zetterberg and the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings enter the post-holiday schedule with an impressive 18-8-9 record which is good enough for 3rd place in the Atlantic Division. They’ve had a strong start to their season and a lot of that has to do with a great record on home ice. They’ve played 22 of their first 35 games on home ice and taken advantage of it, going 12-4-6 at the Joe. They’ve been pretty solid on the road too though going 6-4-3. We’ll find out just how good this Detroit team is over the next few weeks. Beginning with tonight’s game in Ottawa they play 8 of the next 9 as the visitors.
Meanwhile the Senators find themselves trailing the pack in the Eastern Conference. They currently sit six points back of the second Wild Card spot and have to find a way to start stringing some wins together if they want to claw their way back into the playoff picture. At the same time, the teams behind them have also closed the gap a little bit. The Buffalo Sabres, for example, currently trail the Senators by just five points. Ottawa needs to get on a bit of a run here or else they could see themselves slide further down the standings.
Here’s how Dave Cameron has his team lined up at the morning skate. Chris Phillips was also taking turns on that bottom pairing so we’ll have to wait to hear from the Coach to find out who is the odd man out on the blueline. Robin Lehner also missed the morning skate. An update on his status will be provided follow the morning skate.
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
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Craig Anderson gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM with the game available on CBC.
-Late last night there were reports out of New Jersey suggesting that Paul MacLean was about to be named the next Head Coach of the Devils. Turns out those reports were extremely premature. Apparently MacLean never even spoke to the Devils about the vacant position. MacLean will find another job in this league but it won’t be in New Jersey.
