Game Day Five: Lightning vs Senators, Mar. 23
The set-up
Tonight's game has heavy playoff implications for both teams, though for very different reasons. The Senators are fighting to stay in the race for the final playoff spot with seven teams all within 11 points of both Wild Card spots. Currently the Senators are seven points back of Pittsburgh for the final playoff spot with 11 games to play each. Tampa on the other hand is fighting with Toronto for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. With that series all but a lock at this point in the season, Tampa sits three points behind Toronto, while Toronto holds two games in hand.
The record for the Senators over their last four games doesn't reflect the level of hockey they've been playing lately. 1-2-1 against Colorado, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Boston, all playoff teams and three of which are current cup favourites isn't too bad. When watching the games you see that the Senators are evenly matched in all of these games. Colorado, a one goal game, was decided by a bit of a fluke of a goal, otherwise it was bound for overtime. Toronto took nine rounds of a shootout to determine, while Pittsburgh and Boston were both one goal games that took the full 60 minutes to decide. Clearly the Senators are able to hang with the best in the league and now just need a few more results to go their way.
Tampa Bay of course needs no introduction having gone to the Stanley Cup each of the last three years winning two in that span. Led by their electric (no pun intended) core of Nikita Kucherov who has already hit the 100-point plateau this season, Brayden Point with 82 points and their Captain, Steven Stamkos adding 72 points of his own, it's not wonder this team boasts a top-10 offence. Mistakes against Tampa Bay are killers as the Lightning rank third in the league converting 25.5% of their opportunities on the season.
With as much on the line a there is for both teams, expect this divisional battle to bring out the best in both sides for a full 60!
Roster notes
The Senators reassigned goaltender Kevin Mandolese to Belleville yesterday afternoon. Jakob Chychrun did not participate in morning skate as he had an appointment, though he is expected to play tonight. Additionally, the Senators agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with defenceman Tyler Kleven, though he will not be available for action tonight. Below is how the Senators lined up at this morning's skate at Canadian Tire Centre:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
DeBrincat - Pinto - Batherson
Brassard - Greig - Gambrell
Brown - Kastelic - Watson
Gauthier
Defense:
Sanderson - Zub
Chabot - Holden
Brannstrom - Hamonic
Division battles
Tonight marks the Senators 21st divisional battle of the season having gone 12-7-1 through the first 20. Having started the season slow the Senators fell to a 1-5-0 record within the division early on before pulling off wins in 11 of their subsequent 14 games. Two of those recent division losses came in the last five days with the Senators taking Toronto all the way to nine rounds of the shoot out and then league leading Boston the full sixty minutes on a back-to-back just falling 2-1. These division battles are games the Senators get up and excited for, and more often than not end up on the
Who to watch
When playing a team as fast paced as Tampa Bay the best way to combat them is to beat them at their own game. In that the Senators will rely on the fast style of play they've adopted in the back half of the season and lean on players like Dylan Gambrell to push the pace. Gambrell comes into tonight having scored in the team's lone goal in their last outing in Boston. Additionally, Gambrell's first goal of the season came in his first game of the season against Tampa Bay on November 1st. He stole the puck from the Lightning in front of their own net and put one home through the legs of Vasilevskiy. Look for Gambrell to continue his confident play and utilize his speed to add to his goal total here tonight.
Where to watch
For those not at Canadian Tire Centre, Thursday's game can be seen live on TSN5 and RDS2. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
