In an empty building, in an empty field, just off a rarely used highway exit that sits adjacent to one of our nation’s most spectacular parking lots…a hockey match is scheduled.
The two teams, both of Canadian origin, clash at a moment when time is of the essence. For the pre-determined schedule has only days remaining. The Senators of Ottawa have but four games left to play. The Canadiens from Montreal have just five plus exactly four post-season matches that they are obligated to play.
You can be certain that both squads will be eager to put their best foot, or shall I say, skate…forward.
Because between the Senators and Canadiens there is a long and tangled history. Shocking opening night results, a legendary hat trick by a tiny man long-gone now, bench-vacating brawls, completely unnecessary but equally hilarious timeouts. All moments that stick in the mind years later.
The Ottawa Senators. The Montreal Canadiens. One more time with feeling.
If we’ve learned anything about the Ottawa Senators down the stretch of this strange year, it’s that they are going to be a serious problem for the NHL as soon as next year. Basically everything outside of that first ugly month has proven that this Ottawa team is ready to take the next step in their rebuild.
And in the last month or so, they have become must-watch television. Over the last few years, there were times when tuning in to the Sens game felt like an obligation of sorts. Those days are gone now. You don’t watch because you have to. You watch because you don’t want to miss what they’ll do next.
It’s going to be sad to see this team go in just a week from now. Can only speak for myself but this year’s team has been a consistent bright spot in an otherwise weird time. And I’m already counting down the days until they return to the ice in October. Hopefully we’ll all be there to cheer them on in person.
But I digress. Let us focus on one last dismantling of those god awful Montreal Canadiens.
Things are going to be a little dicey for the Senators tonight as they prepare to play their remaining games without their top defenceman. Thomas Chabot is done for the year after suffering an upper body injury on Monday night. And if that’s not bad enough, the much-improved Josh Brown is also being shut down for the rest of the year.
Enter Jacob Bernard-Docker and a man named Olle Alsing. No morning skate for the Senators today so we’ll have to wait until game time to confirm the exact combos. A best guess based on yesterday’s practice.
Tkachuk-Norris-Batherson
Stützle-Pinto-C. Brown
Formenton-White-Paul
Dzingel-Tierney-Dadonov
Mete-Zaitsev
Brannstrom-Zub
Alsing-Bernard-Docker
Anton Forsberg sounded like he might get the start tonight but we’ll have to confirm a little closer to game time. Or if anyone knowns Anton, maybe just ask him? K thanks.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 PM on the dot. The way it should be. The game is on Sportsnet, which means you may want to consider mashing the ol’ mute button around 6:59 PM, just to be safe. Radio coverage is on TSN 1200. Internet streams shall flow like water.
Here’s how the Senators match up against Gary Galley’s Habs.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | Don’t care | 20-27-5 (45 pts) |
| Goals For | Don’t care | 2.71 (20th) |
| Goals Against | Don’t care | 3.40 (28th) |
| Power Play | Don’t care | 16.0% (26th) |
| Penalty Kill | Don’t care | 79.0% (19th) |
| Shots For | Don’t care | 30.0 (12th) |
| Shots Against | Don’t care | 32.1 (27th) |
| Leading Scorers | Don’t care | Tkachuk- 34 pts Batherson- 33 pts Norris- 31 pts Chabot- 31 pts Brown- 30 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Carey Price, hopefully | TBD |
