After another crushing loss on home ice last night, the Ottawa Senators stumble into Madison Square Garden for a Saturday night match up against the New York Rangers.
In the Big Apple, the Rangers are getting ready for another crack at the post season while in Ottawa, the Senators are left with just five games left on the schedule and then a whole summer to talk about what went wrong. Ottawa still isn’t quite mathematically eliminated from playoff contention but the losses to the Islanders and Canadiens certainly doesn’t look like a team that is expecting any miracles.
It has been an exhausting season for the Senators and it shows on the faces of the players, the coaches and management. It has been just as tough on the fans. After making strong progress in the first two years of the rebuild, the Sens have taken a significant step back this season and are suddenly facing what could be one of the most important summers in the history of the franchise. But before they can turn their attention towards what is certainly to be an action packed off season, they have five games left to take care of.
No changes expected to the Ottawa line up ahead of this one. MacLean suggested that forward Colin Greening may take the warm up tonight but is not expected to play until next week. Ales Hemsky left last night’s game early but is expected to play. Here’s how the Senators are going to line up for this one.
Michalek-Spezza-Hemsky
MacArthur-Turris-Stone
Smith-Zibanejad-Neil
Hoffman-Pageau-Condra
Methot-Karlsson
Phillips-Gryba
Wiercioch-Ceci
Robin Lehner gets the start in the Ottawa goal. Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00 PM
