At the Rink: Senators at Devils

Thursday, 01.21.2016 / 1:33 PM | Mike G. Morreale  - NHL.com Staff Writer

NEWARK, N.J. -- Forwards Mike Hoffman and Kyle Turris will be game-time decisions when the Ottawa Senators play against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, MSG+).

Hoffman (upper body), who leads the Senators with 20 goals, was injured against the San Jose Sharks on Monday when he collided with the goal post in the second period while driving to the net. He participated in the Senators' optional skate Thursday but admitted afterwards he's still dealing with headaches and stiffness in his neck.

"I felt alright [at the skate] but I'll definitely have to talk it over with our trainers," Hoffman said. "I guess the injury could have been a lot worse; I'm fortunate it's not long term."

Turris, who has 13 goals and 30 points, is questionable because of an undisclosed injury. He didn't participate in practice Wednesday or Thursday.

Forward Matt Puempel, who was recalled from Binghamton in the American Hockey League on Wednesday, will be in the lineup if Hoffman or Turris are unable to play. Senators coach Dave Cameron did say defenseman Jared Cowen, a healthy scratch the past nine games, will return.

"This is an opportunity for Jared to re-establish his game and get to playing the way he can," Cameron said. "It wasn't so much what he wasn't doing, but what other guys did better. So now's his chance."

The Senators conclude a season-high five-game road trip. Goalie Craig Anderson, who is expected to make his fourth straight start, is 8-2-1 with two shutouts, a 1.86 goals-against average and .948 save-percentage in 11 games against New Jersey.

Forward Jacob Josefson is expected to return to the Devils' lineup after missing the past 11 games because of a bone bruise on his left foot. He took part in an optional skate Thursday and could play on the third line with Reid Boucher and Sergey Kalinin. Forward Tyler Kennedy could be a healthy scratch.

Forward Mike Cammalleri, who missed practice Wednesday and Thursday because of the flu, is expected to play. Cammalleri missed eight games with an upper-body injury before getting an assist in a 4-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

"[Cammalleri] should be ready to go," Devils coach John Hynes said. "I think took the [Thursday morning] off just to get his fluids and things like that. We're anticipating and planning on him playing."

The game is the final at home for New Jersey before the All-Star break. Each team has won two straight and the Devils lead the Senators by one point for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

"We don't see them as a team we're fighting with for a playoff spot, we see them as a team in our way to get what we want," Hynes said. "It's a difficult matchup. [Cameron] does a nice job with them and they're a good offensive team. [Defenseman] Erik Karlsson does a great job on defense and they present problems because they are so offensively gifted and they play a hard game."

Here are the projected lineups:

SENATORS

Matt Puempel - Kyle Turris - Mark Stone

Milan Michalek - Mika Zibanejad - Bobby Ryan

Curtis Lazar - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Alex Chiasson

Max McCormick - Zack Smith - Chris Neil

Mark Borowiecki - Erik Karlsson

Jared Cowen - Chris Wideman

Patrick Wiercioch - Cody Ceci

Craig Anderson

Andrew Hammond

Injured: Marc Methot (lower body), Clarke MacArthur (concussion), Chris Phillips (back), Mike Hoffman (upper body)

Scratched: Shane Prince

DEVILS

Mike Cammalleri - Adam Henrique - Lee Stempniak

Joseph Blandisi - Travis Zajac - Kyle Palmieri

Reid Boucher - Sergey Kalinin - Jacob Josefson

Tuomo Ruutu - Stephen Gionta - Jordin Tootoo

Andy Greene - Adam Larsson

John Moore - Damon Severson

Eric Gelinas - David Schlemko

Cory Schneider

Keith Kinkaid

Injured: Jon Merrill (upper body), Jiri Tlusty (upper body), Patrik Elias (right knee)

Scratched: Stefan Matteau, Tyler Kennedy

Suspended: Bobby Farnham

Status report: Methot, who sustained a lower-body injury during the warmup at San Jose, is out. … The Senators reassigned defenseman Fredrik Claesson to Binghamton to make room for Puempel. … Farnham will sit out the fourth of a four-game suspension. … Right wing Brian O'Neill was reassigned to Albany of the AHL on Wednesday.

Who's hot: Anderson is 3-1-0 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .921 save-percentage in his past four starts. … Stempniak has two goals and four points in his past four games.

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