The Ottawa Senators come into this game playing some of their best hockey of the season.
Wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets have served as a helpful reminder that when this team is at their best, they can play with and beat anyone in the league.
And while those three wins were each impressive in their own way, there was a loss one week ago tonight that seemed to temporarily send the fan base into a bit of a tailspin. A Saturday night loss to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs can have that effect on us, I suppose.
That’s part of what makes tonight’s game so important. Well that an the playoff implications, of course. Ottawa comes into this one with a two point edge over the Leafs in the same number of games played. While the Sens sit tied with the Bruins for second in the Atlantic, it’s somewhat deceiving. The Senators have a ridiculous six games in hand on the Bruins right now.
While Borowiecki was on the ice for the morning skate, it sounds like he’s still dealing with the flu that kept him out of the game on Thursday. Word is Freddy Claesson is expected to dress again tonight.
Here’s how Ottawa is expected to line up.
Smith-Brassard-Stone
Dzingel-Turris-Ryan
Hoffman-Pageau-Pyatt
Kelly-Lazar-Neil
Methot-Karlsson
Phaneuf-Ceci
Claesson-Wideman
Mike Condon makes his 21st straight appearance in the Ottawa net. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM.
