Game 24 Preview: Ottawa Senators @ New York Rangers
In which Tom Pyatt finds himself on the first line.
The past week hasn’t been too kind to the Ottawa Senators, allowing 6+ goals in each of their last three games, all losses. While any chance of a playoff spot is quickly dissolving, especially given the fact that four of the NHL’s top five teams are in the Atlantic division, the Sens will look to regain some of their energy facing the New York Rangers.
Roster Notes
Colin White will make his return to the lineup after missing the Dallas game with a minor injury, leaving Max McCormick as the scratch. Mark Borowiecki was a question mark yesterday, although has since been ruled out for today’s game. Fortunately, Mark Stone will also be in the lineup after taking a puck to the face against Dallas, although he was wearing a cage at yesterday’s practice.
In some unexpectedly quick news, Jean-Gabriel Pageau was also cleared to skate, taking to the ice yesterday for the first time since training camp injury. There’s no timeline for his return, although he’s ahead of the original schedule, which expected him to miss most (if not all) of the season.
The goaltending battle tonight will be Craig Anderson vs. Henrik Lundqvist.
Lineup
From TSN 1200:
Tkachuk - White - Stone
Dzingel - Smith - Ryan
Boedker - Tierney - Paajarvi
Chabot - DeMelo
Lajoie - Jaros
Harpur - Ceci
Anderson (starter)
McKenna
Game Notes
- What’s going on with those lines??? Tom Pyatt was moved to the first line to add more “defensive reliability”, although Pyatt has been far from defensively effective this season. Plugging him next to two of Ottawa’s most electric offensive players is going to be a failed experiment.
- The only hope I have for the situation is that Boucher still manages to keep his ice time down despite being played on the ‘first line’, something he’s done this season with guys like Batherson and Tkachuk.
- The reverse applies to Cody Ceci, who I still expect will play 20+ minutes despite being placed on the third pairing next to Ben Harpur.
- Ryan Dzingel only needs one more point to reach 100 in his career.
- Fredrik Claesson was set to face the Sens for the first time since not being qualified by the team this past off-season, although he’s been ruled out of the Rangers’ lineup. He’ll have another chance later this week, as New York visits Ottawa this Thursday.
- Game time is 7:00 p.m., and will be broadcast on TSN5. /
