Bobby Ryan expected to play for Senators in Game 4

NEW YORK --Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan should be able to play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the New York Rangers but center Zack Smith might not, coach Guy Boucher said Wednesday.
Ryan's last shift of Game 3 on Tuesday ended with 13:46 left in the third period after he was hit in the right thigh by a slap shot by teammate Erik Karlsson. Smith left the game at 9:27 of the first period because of an upper-body injury sustained after absorbing hits from Rangers forwards Tanner Glass and J.T. Miller.

Boucher said Ryan should be healthy enough to play Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports). He's tied with Karlsson and center Derick Brassard for the Senators lead with eight points (four goals, four assists) in nine games. Ottawa leads the best-of-7 series 2-1.
Boucher wasn't as optimistic about Smith and said if he can't play, forward Tom Pyatt likely would go into the lineup. Pyatt hasn't played since Game 4 of the first-round series against the Boston Bruins, when he sustained an upper-body injury.
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Defenseman Chris Wideman also could play in Game 4. He's been out since Game 5 of the first round against the Bruins on April 21.
If Wideman plays and Ryan is available, the Senators will go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen in Game 4. The Senators did not skate Wednesday and instead held a team meeting at their hotel.
"I was looking to put Wideman in at some point, but we were winning the games and it's hard to get him back in so I'm definitely looking at that [Thursday] regardless of injuries," Boucher said. "I was thinking about getting Pyatt in last game too, but I didn't want to touch our lineup because we won the first two games of the series.
"Regardless, [Pyatt and Wideman] have been good for us all year and will be back in; who we take out will depend on the injuries."