Game Day Five: Sharks vs Senators, Dec. 3
By
Daniel Chisholm
Hockey Content and Social Media Specialist
The set-up
For the second time in just two weeks, and the final time this season, the Ottawa Senators will play the San Jose Sharks, this time at Canadian Tire Centre. When these two last faced off the Sharks walked away with a 5-1 victory in San Jose. The Senators will be looking to draw even here tonight carrying the momentum from their big comeback overtime win against the New York Rangers last night.
Coming into tonight the Sharks still boast the number one penalty kill in the league killing off 91.6% of their penalties. The Senators will look to test that here tonight as the team has been scoring on nearly a quarter of their power play chances this season at 23.8%. They seem to be getting scrappier at getting chances on net as the season has gone on such as Tim Stützle power play goal last night, emerging from a cluster in front of the Rangers net to flip one past goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
Led by a familiar face in Erik Karlsson, who is scoring at a career best 1.23 points per game, the Senators will look to slow the Sharks blue line attack to close out their first back-to-back this season.
Roster notes
With no practice today we won't have a true understanding of how the team will line up until D.J. Smith's media availability this afternoon. Defencemen Travis Hamonic and Artem Zub got nicked up last night before returning to the ice so there is a possibility for some changes on the blue line tonight.
Below is how the Senators lined up last night as they faced the New York Rangers:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
DeBrincat - Pinto - Batherson
Motte - Gambrell - Joseph
Kelly - Kastelic - Watson
Brassard
Defense:
Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Hamonic
Brannstrom - Zaitsev
Second chances
The Senators have found a fair amount of success when having a rematch in short order this season. Of the five teams that they have played twice already they have won the rematch in three of the five, beating Buffalo, Philadelphia and now New York. The two that they dropped were against the New Jersey Devils team, the hottest team in hockey at the time in the midst of their 12-game win streak, and the Vegas Golden Knights, whom the score didn't reflect truly how close the game was on the ice. Look for the Senators to continue their strong second efforts against San Jose here tonight.
Who to watch
Defenceman Thomas Chabot has left his fingerprints all over the ice since returning from injury against Anaheim last week. Since his return the Senators have won three of four games while limiting opponents to just two goals a game. Of course, it's a team effort however Chabot has returned to shouldering big, hard minutes for the team and contributing all over the ice.
Coming into tonight Chabot sits just one point away from 200 career points following a two-point outing against the Rangers. Both of those points came late in the game providing the solo assist on both Brady Tkachuk's goal to send it to overtime and his overtime winner. Look for Chabot to eclipse that 200-point mark here tonight and continue anchoring our blue line.
Where to watch
For those not at Canadian Tire Centre, Saturday's game can be seen live on Sportsnet One, CITY and TVAS2. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
