Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…
Tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning is the biggest game of the year for the Ottawa Senators.
We’re pretty much out of slack at this point. No mulligans left. If the Senators are going to put serious pressure on the Bruins (or whoever else) down the stretch, they need to bank a whole bunch of points. Like, all of them. There are a maximum of 12 points left for the taking. The Senators need at least 8 of those to give themselves a chance. Nine would give them a real good shot. 10 would get them to 98 points which seems like a lock.
But it has to start with two tonight against a strong Tampa Bay Lightning team. Oh and a favour from the Detroit Red Wings would be nice too but whatever happens, that game has to end in regulation. The loser is probably the target from here on out.
With their backs against the wall on Tuesday night, the Senators turned in one of their most impressive performances of the season. They dominated the Red Wings from the moment the puck was dropped and finally broke through with a late goal on Petr Mrazek. If they put in that same type of effort tonight against the Bolts, they’ll give themselves a great chance at a win.
The morning skate is underway and at this point, it looks like Cameron will roll with the same combinations as the other night in Detroit. With his team down a goal in the third, Cameron was pretty quick to turn to the 68-93-6 trio. Sort of hoping he doesn’t wait as long this time. The line combinations they used obviously worked pretty well against the Wings but they gotta find a way to get Zibanejad and Ryan going and I’m just not sure that will happen with Zack Smith. Not that Smith was bad the other night, just doesn’t seem like the best fit.
Here’s how the Senators are expected to line up for this one.
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
Condra-Pageau-Lazar
Arnason-Smolinski-Bochenski
Smith-Zibanejad-Ryan
Hoffman-Legwand-Chiasson
Methot-Karlsson
Wiercioch-Ceci
Borowiecki-Gryba
Andrew Hammond is in the starters end and looks like he’ll get another start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM.
Gotta win.
Go. Sens. Go.
