We’ve officially reached that awkward point of the season.
With 25 games to go, fans are gradually starting to check out on this year’s edition of the Ottawa Senators. Not necessarily avoiding the team altogether but certainly less focused on the result at the end of the night.
When that playoff percentage starts to dip below 2%, the dreaded T-word starts to surface and we have seen plenty of that from Sens fans the last little while. Of course this is around the time when last year’s team flicked the switch and stormed into playoff contention.
It’s unlikely that will happen again. Not impossible but damn close to it.
It’s not exactly the ideal time for a homestand. The Senators will play their next three games at home, beginning tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. The Carolina Hurricanes are in town on Thursday and the Detroit Red Wings arrive on Saturday. Based on some of the prices on StubHub, fans aren’t exactly fired up for tonight’s showdown between Eastern Conference bottom-feeders.
Snowmageddon isn’t helping either.
More line juggling from Dave Cameron ahead of this one. Ryan Dzingel, who has looked good through five games, gets a chance to play on a line with Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan. His promotion means that Mike Hoffman lands on a line with Curtis Lazar and Alex Chiasson. Of all the combination Cameron has used this year, I think that one may be my least favourite.
Nick Paul has been called up again and it seems like he’ll get a chance to play this time. Mika Zibanejad is considered a game time decision with an illness of some sort. Mark Borowiecki is out which means Patrick Wiericoch draws back in.
Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
Dzingel-Turris-Ryan
Smith-Pageau-Stone
Hoffman-Lazar-Chiasson
Prince-Paul-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Wiercioch-Wideman
Craig Anderson gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM.
