Something strange is happening to the Ottawa Senators.
It’s something we haven’t really seen in the last couple seasons. Honestly, it’s something that we probably forgot was even an option.
They are getting better. They are showing real and legitimate signs of improvement.
The signs were there earlier in the season but because the results weren’t always in their favour, we chose to ignore them. This is a team that almost everyone had pegged for a 31st place team so even though they were playing nothing like a last place team, it was just sort of assumed that’s where they were going to end up.
But lately, the wins are starting to add up.
The Ottawa Senators have won back to back games and three of their last four.
They now sit 28th overall, tied with Minnesota and Detroit at 13 points and two points clear of the Los Angeles Kings. And if you prefer to glance upward in the standings, they are eight points out of a playoff spot, with a game in hand.
Huh.
The Sens look to keep things rolling tonight when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tonight’s game kicks off another busy week for Ottawa. After tonight, they head to New Jersey for a game on Wednesday night, then back home to host the Flyers on Friday and then on the road again in Buffalo on Saturday.
That two-game winning streak is going to become a six gamer in an awful hurry.
DJ Smith will have his team on the ice for a game day skate at 11:30 AM this morning but we’ll assume the same line up for now.
Tkachuk-Tierney-Duclair
Paul-Pageau-C.Brown
Namestnikov-White-Ennis
Chlapik-Beaudin-Davidsson
Chabot-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-Hainsey
Borowiecki-DeMelo
Anders Nilsson gets another start in goal for the Senators.
Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM with the game available on TSN5 and RDS2.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-9-1 (13 pts) | 9-7-1 (19 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.81 (21st) | 3.06 (14th) |
| Goals Against | 3.13 (21st) | 2.94 (T-13th) |
| Power Play | 6.9% (31st) | 21.8% (18th) |
| Penalty Kill | 80.0% (T-18th) | 81.0% (16th) |
| Shots For | 30.9 (19th) | 33.6 (T-17th) |
| Shots Against | 34.4 (28th) | 28.7 (1st) |
| Leading Scorers | Pageau- 12 pts Brown- 12 pts Namestnikov- 11 pts |
Hamilton- 18 pts Svechnikov- 16 pts Teravainen- 14 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Anders Nilsson 4-3-1 2.67 GAA, .930 sv% |
Petr Mrazek 7-3-1 2.56 GAA, .904 sv% |
***
A lot of talk about the poppy this weekend.
Unfortunately, instead of discussing the meaning behind the symbol, everyone was focused on the ill-informed rant by Don Cherry. And it’s a damn shame. At a time when a country should come together to collectively honour the sacrifice of so many Canadians, we are all caught up in the divisive words of a mostly confused old man.
Today though, take a moment to remember the true meaning of the poppy– a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many brave men and women in the name of our freedom. To those that served and continue to serve- thank you.
