2. SENS ARMY
The Sens have earned points in each of their last three games (1-0-2) while also grabbing points in eight of their nine so far this season… The Sens are a strong third period team in the early going - they have recored nearly the same amount of goals in the third period (15) than than have in the first two periods combined (16)… Ottawa has also had the most games decided past regulation so far this season, including most shootout games (4)… With Karlsson coming back in the lineup last week, the Sens have a few notable players out for tonight's game - Kyle Turris will miss his first game of the season (flu), as well as forwards Zack Smith, Colin White and South Jersey native Bobby Ryan, who is out with a hand injury.
3. THREE TO TWO
A good bet would be that this game is decided by a 3-2 score… The last four meetings between the two clubs were a 3-2 decision with three of the games being decided past regulation and the Flyers going unbeaten in regulation in each game (3-0-1)… All three meetings last year went past regulation with the Flyers winning two of the three… This is the first time since Mar. 15, 2015 (Ray Emery), the Flyers will face the Senators without Steve Mason in net… Mason started the previous seven meetings.
4. TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER
Wayne Simmonds is tied for the NHL lead with four game-winning goals, which also matches his season high from last year… Shayne Gostisbehere ranks second among all d-men with 11 points (1g-10a) and leads all d-men in power-play scoring with seven points… Tonight's game features the Top 2 blueliners in points per-game - Gostisbehere (1.22) and Karlsson (1.50)… Ottawa comes into tonight with the best penalty killing unit in the NHL, tied for 1st at 92 percent, allowing just two goals so far this season (23-of-25).
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (C: #14 - Sean Couturier)
Couturier continues his hot start with six goals and three assists for nine points in nine games… Prior to this season, the quickest Couturier had reached six goals in a season was 23 games (2016-17)… Couturier also leads the Flyers, and is tied for second overall in the NHL with a plus-minus rating of +10… Way back on October 18, 2011, Couturier scored his first goal in the NHL as an 18-year-old against current Sens goaltender Craig Anderson.
SENATORS (D: #65 - Erik Karlsson)
Since returning from an injury that kept him out of the preseason and the first five games of the regular season, the Sens captain has six points, all assists, in four games and has averaged 25 minutes of ice-time per game, including 29:30 in his last outing, a 3-2 shootout loss to LA… Since coming into the NHL at age 19 in 2009-10, he has led all NHL defensemen in overall scoring with 426 points, as well as 345 assists in 560 games.
