Game Day Notes: Game #48 - Sens vs. Flames
by Craig Medaglia @craigmedaglia / Ottawa Senators
It's a matinee between the Sens and Flames and we've got all the latest pre-game news and notes that you need to know before today's 4 p.m. start at Canadian Tire Centre.
Projected line-up
A few changes to today's line-up but most notably is Jean-Gabriel Pageau missing his second consecutive game due to an injury. Pageau was a late scratch on Thursday against Vegas and failed to join the team on the ice at practice yesterday but Sens head coach D.J. Smith believes his absence could provide some chances for other forwards today.
"We've had some untimely and unlucky injuries this season," said the coach at his pre-game media availability today. "But in saying that, it's an opportunity for Colin White to play more minutes, it's an opportunity for Filip Chlapik to play some centre and it's an opportunity for other players to play more. Pageau plays 20 minutes a game so it creates an opportunity for some other guys to kill penalties or Artem Anisimov to get some more minutes so whoever is filling these spots has to be ready to go in there and do the job."
Smith also announced that Rudolfs Balcers, who replaced Pageau against the Golden Knights on Thursday, would be a healthy scratch today and that Mikkel Boedker would draw back into the line-up for the first time since Jan. 4th.
No morning skate today with the earlier start so here's how the Sens' lines and pairings should look today:
Tkachuk - Anisimov - Duclair
Namestnikov - Tierney - Brown
Ennis - White - Batherson
Boedker - Chlapik - Sabourin
Chabot - Hainsey
Borowiecki - Zaitsev
Reilly - DeMelo
In goal
Marcus Hogberg gets the call in net today for the Senators and looks to get back in the win column for the first time in about a month. Despite not getting the results he's been looking for on the final scoresheet, Hogberg has been excellent of late and has a .915 sv% and a 2.32 GAA in his last four appearances. He's also dropped his last 3 starts in either overtime or a shootout so fingers crossed he can get a little more run support this afternoon against the Flames.
Where to watch
It's a 4 p.m. start at Canadian Tire Centre and here's all the ways you can catch the Sens and Flames this afternoon...
BROADCAST: TSN5, RDS2
TICKETS: ottsens.com/SensTicketHub
RADIO: TSN 1200, 94,5 Unique FM
Can't make it to the rink? Grab some friends and head on over to our Molson Canadian Watch Party at West Park Lanes (1205 Wellington St.) where they'll be serving up 20 oz Molson Canadian drafts for just $7.50 along with giving out some sweet, sweet swag and prizes during the game.
To find out where our next watch party will be and specials you can enjoy, visit the full schedule click here.