9:58 AM– It’s January 1st. The year is 2022, apparently. And according to every source I have consulted this morning, the Ottawa Senators play a hockey game tonight. Will keep you posted on this situation as it evolves.
10:00 AM– Happy New Year, by the way! Another strange year here on SensChirp but you weirdos keep showing up even though hockey barely even exists anymore and for that, I am eternally grateful.
10:01 AM– Okay, it sounds like the game is still happening. Still in Toronto. But with no fans in the rink. In my opinion, all games in Toronto should be this way.
10:03 AM– The game is still happening only now the league is considering playing it on the moon, where COVID cases remain relatively low. Hearing the lack of gravity is a major concern for players.
10:05 AM- According to the CDC, COVID is more transmissible in a zero-gravity environment. So the moon is out. Back to Toronto.
10:07 AM– Normally a Game Day post would include things like a lineup and a HEAD2HEAD table but frankly, I am afraid I’ll jinx it. We know Josh Norris and Tyler Ennis are out. Clark Bishop and Logan Shaw were added to the taxi squad, which is a thing again apparently. Tim Stützle was skating on the top line at practice yesterday.
10:08 AM– Leafs suck.
10:10 AM- At about 9:45 this morning, the team’s official Twitter account posted the usual Game Day information. Opponent, location and broadcast information. Holy shit, this might actually be happening.
10:16 AM– Purely hypothetical here but if the Senators were to play a hockey game tonight, their lineup might look something like this.
10:45 AM– The Toronto Maple Leafs are certainly talking like a team that plans on showing up tonight but they said the same thing in the playoffs the last few years. I remain skeptical.
10:50 AM– If they do play tonight, JBD won’t. Lassi Thomson has been recalled. Brannstrom and Gaudette are in. Paul and Heatherington are out. Remember Matt Murray? Yea he starts.
11:37 AM– The Ottawa Senators play an actual hockey game tonight. Govern yourselves accordingly. Based on what we heard from the Coach this morning (DJ Smith is the Head Coach and the morning is the first 12 hours of the day), it sounds like the lineup will look something like this.
Tkachuk-Stützle-Batherson
Formenton-Tierney-Brown
Sanford-Gambrell-Watson
Bishop-Gaudette-Shaw
Chabot-Thomson
Holden-Zub
Brannstrome-Mete
Murray
12:40 PM– Both Head Coaches have met with the media. Potential lineups have been shared. The HEAD2HEAD table is in development. Players have been added and/or removed from COVID protocol and yet, the game remains scheduled. Could it be? Could the Sens finally be in session?
2:58 PM– We’re really doin’ it!
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 9-17-2 (20 pts) | 20-8-2 (42 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.79 (T-20th) | 3.27 (9th) |
| Goals Against | 3.61 (30th) | 2.50 (4th) |
| Power Play | 19.8% (14th) | 30.6% (2nd) |
| Penalty Kill | 77.8% (23rd) | 82.1% (9th) |
| Shots For | 28.8 (27th) | 34.2 (5th) |
| Shots Against | 33.7 (29th) | 31.4 (16th) |
| Leading Scorers | Batherson- 28 pts Norris- 22 pts Tkachuk- 22 pts Brown- 17 pts Chabot- 17 pts |
Matthews- 33 pts Tavares- 32 pts Nylander- 31 pts Rielly- 26 pts Marner- 21 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Matt Murray 0-5-0 3.27 GAA, .890 sv% |
Jack Campbell 15-5-2 1.94 GAA, .937 sv% |
