With 26 games left in their season, the situation is pretty clear for the Ottawa Senators.
They need to win hockey games. And lots of ’em. Most of ’em really. Not quite all of ’em but like, a whole bunch of ’em. While the out-of-town scoreboard has been surprisingly pleasant the last little while, the Sens still need to take care of their own business if they want to keep putting pressure on those six teams hanging out just above them in the standings.
The Ottawa Senators visit one of the hottest teams in hockey, the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.
There are no easy games in the National Hockey League but there certainly are some tough ones. And outside of a game in Boston, a game in Carolina may be as tough as it gets. The Hurricanes have reeled off four straight wins, have won 9 of their last 10 and are basically unbeatable the last few weeks.
Time to shock the world, I suppose.
A couple changes for the Senators and they adjust to life without Nikita Zaitsev. Jake Sanderson is off the IR and ready to make his return. Up front, Parker Kelly sits while Derick Brassard draws back in.
Here’s how the good guys are expected to line up for this one…
Tkachuk-Stützle-Giroux
DeBrincat-Pinto-Batherson
Brassard-Greig-Gauthier
Joseph-Gambrell-Watson
Chabot-Zub
Sanderson-Hamonic
Brannstrom-Holden
Another injured player makes a return tonight as Cam Talbot gets the start for the Senators.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 PM in Raleigh. The game is available on TSN5, RDS2 and on the radio at TSN1200. If you’re looking for a streaming option I am afraid I need to report you to the authorities because that shit is illegal.
Wondering how the two teams match-up and all the other HEAD2HEAD tables you’ve seen today just aren’t cutting it? Settle in for the real deal then.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 27-25-4 (58 pts) | 38-10-8 (84 pts) |
| Goals For | 3.04 (20th) | 3.38 (9th) |
| Goals Against | 3.20 (18th) | 2.61 (4th) |
| Power Play | 25.7% (4th) | 20.0% (23rd) |
| Penalty Kill | 81.8% (9th) | 82.0% (5th) |
| Shots For | 33.8 (8th) | 35.0 (3rd) |
| Shots Against | 32.3 (22nd) | 26.5 (1st) |
| Leading Scorers | Tkachuk- 60 pts Stützle- 59 pts Giroux- 53 pts DeBrincat- 48 pts Batherson- 47 pts |
Necas- 51 pts Aho- 50 pts Svechnikov- 49 pts Burns- 43 pts Jarvis- 30 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Cam Talbot 12-13-1 2.90 GAA, .905 sv% |
Fredrik Andersen 14-4-0 2.43 GAA, .908 sv% |
