Nobody said rebuilding would be easy.
Well, that’s not entirely true. In fact, as recently as a month ago, most of us were reflecting on how remarkably pleasant the process had been through the first couple months of the season.
The Senators were competitive. They were occasionally winning games against top teams. The games were surprisingly entertaining on most nights and yet the team was comfortably nestled in the bottom of the standings. They were the best 28th place team in the history of the National Hockey League. Life was good.
But lately, it’s a bit of struggle. Actually, it’s a lot of a struggle.
The losses are starting to pile up around these parts. It’s not record-setting yet (the 1992 team went 21 straight without a win) but still.
The Ottawa Senators look to snap their ugly 9 game losing streak when they play host to the Calgary Flames.
If there is a silver-lining here- and in a rebuilding season you can always find something- it’s the fact that this recent slide has solidified the team’s spot at the bottom of the standings. That 16 point gap between the Senators and the second Wild Card spot is going to be tough to overcome.
So with 35 games left to go in the regular season, we’re going to have to find ways to keep ourselves entertained. Prospect development? A playoff push at the AHL level? Maybe a power play goal?! The complete collapse of the San Jose Sharks? All great options.
And this afternoon, a battle between Brady and Matthew Tkachuk.
Jean Gabriel Pageau missed practice yesterday a day after being a last minute pregame scratch. Much like his future with the organization, his injury is a bit of a mystery but we do know he’s out again today.
Remember Mikkel Boedker? He has located his hockey equipment and will play today.
Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up based on yesterday’s practice.
Tkachuk-Anisimov-Duclair
Namestnikov-Tierney- Brown
Ennis-White-Batherson
Boedker-Chlapik-Sabourin
Chabot-Hainsey
Borowiecki-Zaitsev
Reilly-DeMelo
Marcus Hogberg is expected to get the start for the home side.
Puck drop is scheduled for just after 4:00 PM with the game available on TSN5, RDS2 and somewhere online for me and you.
Here’s the HEAD2HEAD table you ordered.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 26-18-5 (57 pts) | 16-23-8 (40 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.61 (27th) | 2.66 (23rd) |
| Goals Against | 2.90 (12th) | 3.36 (29th) |
| Power Play | 18.9% (19th) | 11.6% (31st) |
| Penalty Kill | 83.0% (7th) | 80.9% (15th) |
| Shots For | 31.2 (T-16th) | 29.9 (23rd) |
| Shots Against | 32.6 (26th) | 33.0 (28th) |
| Leading Scorers | Tkachuk- 38 pts Gaudreau- 38 pts Lindholm- 36 pts |
Duclair- 32 pts Pageau- 31 pts Brown- 29 pts |
| Starting Goalie | TBD | Marcus Hogberg 1-2-5 3.01 GAA, .901 sv% |
