Three games into the NHL’s regular season and the Ottawa Senators still aren’t in last place.
Man oh man, those experts must be feeling pretty silly right about now. All summer long we heard about how bad this team was going to be and instead, they have gone out and shocked the world. Racking up some points in most of their games and taking no prisoners along the way.
Yes, indeed. The Ottawa Senators are turning some heads this year.
What’s that? Oh, it’s only been three games? And they’re allowing more than four goals a game? Hmm okay. Perhaps it’s a little early for I told you so’s.
I’ll wait until after they DEMOLISH the Philadelphia Flyers then.
After a quick one game road trip through Boston, home the ALCS bound Red Sox, the Senators return home to the friendly confines of the Canadian Tire Centre. In fact, Ottawa will play their next five games on home ice in an important stretch of games that should give us a better sense of where this team is headed in the first half of the season.
Following tonight’s tilt against the Flyers, they’ll host the Los Angeles Kings, the Dallas Stars, the Montreal Canadiens and then a rematch against the Bruins.
Tonight’s opposition is coming off a rough outing in their home opener last night. The San Jose Sharks hung a snowman on the Flyers in a performance that even had Gritty a little bit concerned. And while we’re on the topic…what IS Gritty, exactly?
Brian Elliott started against the Sharks and will likely give way to Calvin Pickard tonight. Probably a good idea as the ice in Ottawa can be notoriously slippery.
Anyway, sounds like the Senators will roll with the same line up outside of a change in goal. If yesterday’s practice was any indication, there could be a little bit of juggling up front but we’ll wait until after the morning skate to confirm how Boucher plans on lining them up to start.
A best guess for now.
Tkachuk-Duchene-Boedker
Dzingel-Smith-Stone
Forementon-Tierney-Ryan
Paajarvi-Pyatt-White
Chabot-DeMelo
Borowiecki-Wideman
Lajoie-Ceci
Craigothy Anderson gets the start in goal for Ottawa. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM with the game available on Sportsnet and for the more daring fans among us, streamed illegally on shady sites across the information superhighway.
And now…what you all came here to see…
THE HEAD2HEAD TABLE!
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 1-2-0 (2 pts) | 1-1-1 (3 pts) |
| Goals For | 3.0 (T-15th) | 3.67 (T-10th) |
| Goals Against | 5.0 (28th) | 4.33 (24th) |
| Power Play | 23.1% (15th) | 12.5% (T-21st) |
| Penalty Kill | 75.0% (T-16th) | 71.4% (T-24th) |
| Shots For | 31.7 (17th) | 26.7 (23rd) |
| Shots Against | 36.0 (27th) | 36.7 (28th) |
| Leading Scorers | Simmonds- 4 pts Giroux- 4 pts Voracek- 3 pts |
Chabot- 5 pts Smith- 4 pts Dzingel- 4 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Calvin Pickard | Craig Anderson 3.48 GAA .913 sv% |
