Game Day Notes: Sens @ Flames

Puck drop is set for a little after 9 p.m. in Calgary and we've got the latest news and notes on the Sens' line-up tonight as well as some tidbits with Brady Tkachuk and Rudolfs Balcers.

Tkachuk Bowl v2.0

Older brother Matthew and the Flames may have picked up the win in the first ever meeting of the Tkachuk brothers last month in Ottawa but it was also a showcase game for Brady who once again stepped up for the Senators under some added pressure. The younger Tkachuk brought the crowd at Canadian Tire Centre, which featured a large contingent of family and friends, to their feet with his game-tying goal in the second period.
"I'm happy for my brother. What a sick goal that was," said Matthew following the Flames' 2-1 win on February 24th. "He made it hard on us. They made it hard on us tonight, and it took us 59 minutes to get that win."

The Flames netted the game winner with just 41 seconds remaining in the third period and while the result wasn't what the Senators were hoping for, battling with the Western Conference's top team for 60 minutes definitely yielded some positive takeaways.
"I thought we were the better team for most or some of that game," Brady said post-game. "Old, young, we're here for a reason and we're all good enough to be at this level so I thought we played well and it's just the beginning."

Balcers finding chemistry down the stretch

With 3 points over his last 4 games, Sens rookie Rudolfs Balcers is starting to find his stride in the NHL. His offensive game has shown flashes of brilliance at times this season but the points haven't always been a constant for the 21-year-old Latvian.
"If you look at my production over the past few weeks it hasn't always been there," said Balcers. "But since I started playing with Chris Tierney and Magnus Paajarvi I think my overall play has really improved. We're still not capitalizing on all our chances but we also haven't gotten stuck focusing on the missed opportunities."
Balcers believes his extended stay on a line with Tierney and Paajarvi over the past few weeks has started to bear fruit in regards to on-ice chemistry as the trio has combined for 10 points over the last 5 games (which includes a 5-game point streak for Tierney).

"We talk on the bench all the time and I think we're starting to know where each other is on the ice," he said. "It's been a lot of fun to play with them and I think we're finding that our games complement each other pretty well."
With only 9 games remaining and no post-season to look forward to this year, Balcers shared that this young group still a lot to play for.
"When we play together as a team and play hard, I think we can compete every night," said Balcers. "There is about 3 weeks left and we want to show people that we can be a good team that can win games in this league."

Line-up Notes

Following last night's game in Vancouver, the Sens were in need of some reinforcements against the Flames. Cody Ceci (upper body) was forced out of yesterday's contest with an injury while Jean-Gabriel Pageau has been suspended for one game after receiving supplementary discipline from the league for a boarding penalty against Canucks' forward Ashton Sautner. As a result, Erik Brannstrom, Filip Chlapik and Vitaly Abramov have been recalled from Belleville.
"We've also had a bit of the flu bug going through the team," said interim head coach Marc Crawford this afternoon. "We're just hopeful that everyone is ready to be able to play but we're taking some precautions just in case."
Should he draw into the line-up, it would mark the NHL debut for Abramov who was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of the Matt Duchene deal. In 9 games with Belleville since the trade, Abramov has registered 4 points (2G, 2A).

In Goal

Craig Anderson (14-24-4) is back between the pipes tonight and will make his first start in 10 days for the Senators. Crawford has been riding the hot hand in Anders Nilsson over the past week but with tonight's game being the second half of a back-to-back on the road, Anderson is set to return to the crease to face the Flames.

Where to Watch

It's a 9 p.m. scheduled start in Calgary tonight and if you're looking for a great spot to catch the game then head on out to Kelsey's in Kanata where they'll be serving up 23oz Kicked Up Molson Canadian Draft for just $8.18 + tax during the game.