After a dramatic overtime win in Game 4, the Ottawa Senators attempt to grab the series lead tonight when they visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
The Sens will once again be without their Captain, as Daniel Alfredsson will be sidelined for a third straight game. Alfie did not make the trip to New York with the rest of the team but did skate back in Ottawa and made progress, according to Coach MacLean.
But as the Sens demonstrated on Wednesday night, they are more than capable of competing without their Captain.
For the third straight game, the Sens seemed to take the play to the Rangers and they'll be looking for more of the same in Game 5. Something that Sens have not been able to do yet in this series is lead a hockey game. It has been well documented over the past couple days but with their two wins coming in overtime, the Senators have actually never held a lead in this series.
Obviously they would love to score the first goal tonight and force the Rangers to play catch up.
On the Rangers side of things, you have to think we'll see their best effort of the series. They are the top seed in the East and must be feeling the heat after the Senators overtime victory in Game 4, a game in which they blew a two goal lead. They have to be better tonight.
With both Alfredsson and Winchester unavailable for Game 5, MacLean has been forced to shuffle his line up a little bit.
World Junior Star and blue chip prospect Mark Stone appears as though he will draw into the line up. While MacLean would not confirm the line up change, a tweet from Ian Mendes indicated that Stone sounded like a guy that expects to play. Talk about being thrown into the fire. Fascinated to see how Stone looks in his NHL debut.
Here is how the Sens are expected to line up.
Michalek-Spezza-Butler
Condra-Turris-Foligno
Greening-Smith-Neil
Stone-O'Brien-Konopka
Kuba-Karlsson
Phillips-Carkner
Cowen-Gonchar
Craig Anderson gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM with the game available on CBC.
GO SENS GO!
