Game Day Five: Senators at Jets, Dec. 20
By
Daniel Chisholm
Hockey Content and Social Media Specialist
The set-up
After splitting the first two games of this three-game road trip, the Senators look to close out the trip on top against Winnipeg here tonight. Winnipeg boasts both a top ten offence and defence scoring 3.32 goals per game while only giving up 2.58 goals per contest. Their incredible goals against average is largely due to the play of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who has posted a 0.928% save percentage and a 2.33 goals against average, both good for the second best in the league amongst starting goaltenders. However, Hellebuyck will be held out of the line-up tonight as he deals with an illness, providing a welcomed opportunity for the Senators. Goaltending aside, the Jets are a team that rarely makes mistakes, as evidenced by their 82.1% penalty kill, good for fifth best mark in the league.
The Senators come in as no slouch going 6-3-1 in their last ten games and really finding their footing as a group of late. Led by their strong special teams playscoring on 28.1% of their power plays, good for fourth in the league, while also killing 80.2% of their penalties. Drake Batherson has been a driving force behind the success of the Senators power play logging a team leading seven power play goals on the year, while Brady Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat and Thomas Chabot all have tallied five. Look for the Senators to capitalize on their red-hot power play and try to strike early and often here.
Down three points with two games in hand Winnipeg is looking to take sole possession of the Central Division lead over the Dallas Stars. Meanwhile the Senators are looking to continue clawing their way back into the playoff conversation as they sit eight points back of the New York Islanders with two games in hand. A lot to play for here in the first of two match ups between these two sides.
Roster notes
No injury updates, on forwards Tim Stützle Josh Norris, and Mathieu Joseph or defenceman Artem Zub. Additionally, the Senators reassigned forward Scott Sabourin to Belleville yesterday. Below is how the Senators lined up during their skate at Canada Life Centre this morning:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Brassard - Giroux
DeBrincat - Pinto - Batherson
Motte - Kastelic - Watson
Kelly - Chartier - Gambrell
Defense:
Chabot - Zaitsev
Sanderson - Hamonic
Brannstrom - Holden
Past history
This cross Canada, interconference battle goes back across a relocation and name change from when the Jets were the Atlanta Thrashers. In that time span the Ottawa Senators own the all-time lead with a 41-32 record with two ties to boot. In recent years they have seen each other more than usual given the Canadian division season. Last season they split their match ups, with each winning on the others ice. The Senators also hold a narrow edge of late winning four of the last six meetings between the two.
Who to watch
As the Senators look to make a statement here today against a formidable opponent look for captain Brady Tkachuk to put his stamp on this game. Tkachuk leads the team in points with 36, and sits second in goals with 13, only trailing forward Claude Giroux who tallied his 14th against Minnesota. While Tkachuk has been held without a goal in back-to-back games so far this road trip, he has tallied three assists and will look to add to that tally tonight. As we have seen many times with Tkachuk, when the Senators are looking for a boost he steps up and provides a spark showing time and time again why he dons the Captaincy for the club.
Where to watch
Tuesday's game can be seen live on TSN3, TSN5, and RDS. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
