The set up:
Coming off a strong showing that unfortunately didn't yield the result they wanted in Dallas, the Senators hit the midway point of their five-game Western road trip tonight are in store for perhaps the biggest challenge yet. Facing the league leading Vegas Golden Knights for the first time this season, the Senators will have to bring their A game tonight as they will be without some key contributors. Mathieu Joseph and Rourke Chartier have been ruled out tonight and Vladimir Tarasenko is still away from the team tedning to a family matter. However, incoming Jiri Smejkal and Angus Crookshank relish this opportunity to put their stamp on this game and inject energy into the line up.
The Golden Knights have maintained the play that led them to become the Stanley Cup champions last season. The team has been led primarily through their staunch defensive effort, ranking third in goals against per game at just 2.42 and the second best penalty kill unit in the NHL staving off 87.4% of the opportunites against them. On the other side of the puck they're not too shabby either, averaging 3.32 goals per game led by Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone with 14, 13, 13, and 10 goals each. It goes without saying this group is strong!
The Senators will look to their leadership to put their stamp on this game early as they look to find their footing on this tough road trip. Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux and Tim Stützle have been held to just three goals over their last five games and for three elite players like them that can be all the fuel they need to try to light the lamp in bunches here tonight.
