Game Day Five: Senators at Rangers, Mar. 2
By
Daniel Chisholm
Hockey Content and Social Media Specialist
The set-up
A battle of the two biggest trades of the last week comes to a head here tonight! With the Rangers picking up Patrick Kane and the Senators adding Jakob Chychrun, this game should be a treat to watch.
The Senators enter the game on a three-game win streak, having outscored their opponents 17-5 in that stretch. More important than the sheer volume of goals, is the distribution of them. Those 17 goals came from 11 different skaters, showcasing the threat this team poses when all four lines are firing on all cylinders. Perhaps the most noteworthy over that stretch is Austin Watson who has scored three, including a shorthanded goal and two game winning goals.
Coming off an overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers last night, the Rangers will be looking to get right back to business as they introduce Patrick Kane to the Garden. Chasing the New Jersey Devils for home ice advantage in the final 21 games of the regular season, they are surely going to be hungry here tonight. Led by their trio of 50+ point scorers in Artemi Panarin (68), Mika Zibanejad (65) and Adam Fox (56) this team is locked and loaded and only getting more dangerous by the day.
It would be a crying shame to not mention how the last game between these two at Madison Square Garden went. Captain Brady Tkachuk put on one of the most herculean efforts we have had the pleasure of seeing this year. First, he provided the assist on Tim Stützle goal to tie the game 1-1. After the team fell behind 2-1 in the third period he potted one of his own with just 49 seconds left to send it to overtime. How can you possibly top that? Oh by scoring the game winner on a breakaway in overtime to send the team back to Ottawa!
If we're treated to even half that performance here tonight we are all in for a treat!
Roster notes
The Senators finally got the top-four defenceman they've been looking for as they landed Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes last night. In a corresponding move, the Senators re-assigned Jacob Larsson to Belleville. Additionally, the Senators signed goaltender Dylan Ferguson to a prorated (for the duration of 2022-23) one-year, two-way contract and assigned him to Belleville. Below is how the Senators lined up at practice this morning at Madison Square Garden:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
DeBrincat - Pinto - Batherson
Joseph - Gambrell - Gauthier
Brassard - Kastelic - Watson
Kelly
Defense:
Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Hamonic
Brannstrom - Holden
Got our guy
Last night GM Pierre Dorion put the final touches on the trade that landed star defenceman Jakob Chychrun from the Arizona Coyotes. The Senators have that elusive top-four defenceman they've been looking for and they send a 2023 conditional first-round pick, a conditional 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick to Arizona in return. Nothing has been decided yet as Chychrun only arrived to join the team in New York this morning, but there is a good chance he will see his first action as a Senator tonight!
Who to watch
Skating in his 1000th NHL game tonight, playing for his hometown team against one of the team he played 254 games for, how could Derick Brassard not be the player to watch tonight! Brassard scratched and clawed his way onto the Senators this season initially signing a professional tryout in training camp and now is a regular fixture in the line-up filling whatever role D.J. Smith asks of him. The leading scorer in the bottom six forwards with nine goals and ten assists this season, Brassard has played a crucial role in the success of this team. Fitting that he gets to skate in his 1000th against the team he scored the most goals for in his career with 69. Look for Brassard to soak in this special moment and then be locked in for a big Eastern Conference tilt!
Where to watch
Thursday's game can be seen live on TSN5 and RDS. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
