This past weekend the Ottawa Senators took care of business in a couple of very winnable games.
On the heels of a tough Western Conference road trip, the Sens found a way against the Devils and Islanders in a back to back situation, and banked some much-needed points.
Looking at the schedule, the Senators will only play five times in the next 18 days. They have a few days off around Christmas and then kick off January with their league-mandated five day bye week. It’s a great chance for the team to recharge a little bit after a frantic start to the season but it also makes these next few games that much more important as they try to hold on to second place in the Atlantic Division.
A tough test awaits them tonight as they visit the league’s best team– the Chicago Blackhawks.
Every year people wait for the bottom to fall out on this Chicago team and every year they continue to prove skeptics wrong. The Hawks got off to a bit of an inconsistent start to the season but now again look like a serious contender in the Western Conference. They lead the league in points, they’ve won five straight and have the league’s best record on home ice, sitting at 13-2-3 at the United Center.
They currently have two of the top ten in league scoring in Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane and they’ve been getting solid offensive contribution from their supporting cast which includes the likes of Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Artem Anisimov and Duncan Keith. They’ve scored an impressive 15 goals in their last three games.
On Ottawa’s side of things, they’ll have one key change to the line up up front. Mike Hoffman returns from his two game suspension and based on the morning skate, it looks like he’ll start the game on a line with Jean Gabriel Pageau and Tom Pyatt. With Hoffman returning, Casey Bailey has been returned to Binghamton of the American Hockey League. Freddy Claesson is also health and will serve as the team’s 7th defenceman for now. Ben Harpur was also sent back to the AHL.
Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
Smith-Brassard-Stone
Dzingel-Turris-Ryan
Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt
Kelly-Lazar-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Borowiecki-Wideman
Mike Condon is expected to get the start in the Ottawa goal. Matt O’Connor has been recalled from Binghamton and will dress as the back up for this one. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 8:30 PM.
