After a few days off to enjoy the holiday season, it’s time for SensChirp and the Ottawa Senators to get back to business.
Despite having some time off between games, the Senators will be looking to do something they haven’t done since early November- win back to back games. Last time the Sens hit the ice, they dominated the best team in the Eastern Conference to the tune of a 5-0. It was one of the most impressive performances of the season for the Senators and certainly as good as they’ve looked on home ice. Tonight, they take on the second best team in the East- the Boston Bruins.
The game kicks off a weekend home and home between the division rivals. They’ll meet again tomorrow night back here in Ottawa. It’s a great chance for the Senators to hit the ground running and start making up some ground in the Eastern Conference. But as the Senators have learned over the last few seasons, they’ll have to be at their absolute best to come away with a couple points against the Bruins.
The big, bad Bruins currently sit atop the Atlantic Conference, three points clear of the second place Tampa Bay Lightning. They’ve won 7 of their last 10 and have been one of the best team’s in the league on home ice, posting a 15-3-2 record in 20 tries at the TD Bank Garden. Only the Los Angeles Kings give up fewer goals per game than the Bruins at 2.03 per game. Sens fans have become quite familiar with the frustrations of playing the Bruins over the years.
Meanwhile in Ottawa, the goal is to build off a dominant pre-Christmas break game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It looks like Mika Zibanejad is ready to return to the Ottawa line up which would mean Matt Kassian becomes a healthy scratch. Patrick Wiercioch and Joe Corvo will join him in the press box.
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Robin Lehner will get the nod for the Senators while Craig Anderson likely starts tomorrow. Tuukka Rask starts for the Bruins. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM.
The Daily Chirp- During the holiday freeze, Darren Dreger was on Toronto radio and suggested that the Senators may be close to pulling a the trigger on a deal for Rangers defenceman Michael Del Zotto. There were rumours about the Senators making a pitch about a month ago with names like Eric Gryba, Erik Condra and Colin Greening being mentioned as available from the Senators side of things. For the record, I haven’t heard anything confirming what Dreger is hearing but he’s usually right about these kind of things. The way he worded it, it sounds like there’s a deal on the table for the Senators to either accept or reject. Really think the ball is in Murray’s court here. The roster freeze is lifted at midnight tonight so something to keep an eye on.
