Game 4 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Lumbus Blue Jackets

The Ottawa Senators are rather fortunate to start the season 2-1-0, but their next two games are against a couple of talented teams that have started the season 0-3-0. The first of those games is in Lumbus against the Blue Jackets followed by a game in Pittsburgh tomorrow.

Despite trailing for most of the game, Ottawa had only 21 shots in the 3-1 loss to the Canadiens on Sunday, and even that was achieved due to a bit of a late flurry at the end of the game. That followed up a win over the Leafs where Ottawa was outplayed by the Leafs and was fortunate to get the win. So the team has been no where their best in the first week.

The Senators will go with the same lineup except that Craig Anderson will return to the net. Andrew Hammond is fit enough to be the backup tonight. Here are the lines and pairings.

Hoffman - Turris - Stone
MacArthur - Zibanejad - Ryan
Michalek - Pageau - Lazar
Chiasson - Smith - Neil

Methot - Karlsson
Wiercioch - Ceci
Cowen - Borowiecki

Anderson (starter)
Hammond

And here is the Lumbus lineup:

Jenner - Johansen - Saad
Calvert - Dubinsky - Atkinson
Hartnell - Karlsson (!!!) - Foligno
Bourque - Campbell - Boll

Murray - Savard
Tyutin - Johnson
Connauton - Prout

Bobrovsky (starter)
McElhinney

Some notes for tonight:

• It is only three games but Erik Karlsson has an on-ice Corsi of 40.9% in almost an hour of 5-on-5 ice time. Ottawa led for the entire game against Buffalo and for a decent amount against Toronto, but that is still awful even with score effects. Obviously this will turn around, but not great to see right now.
• Obligatory Mike Hoffman is great comment. He hit yet another post against Montréal. The poor guy has no luck right now but he is the best player on the team at the moment.
• Mark Stone's goal in the third period against Toronto is the only even strength Ottawa has scored in the last two games.
• Bobby Ryan has three shots and an assist on an empty net goal to show for his first three games. He's been basically invisible so far this season. This has the potential to become a hideous contract in a couple of years.
• Jean-Gabriel Pageau scoring against Montréal will never get old. What a guy!
• Ottawa's top line had nine shots on goal against Montréal. The other 15 skaters had 12 shots. It is a one-man team right now. The one line is playing at an incredible level though.
• Chris Neil's last point was on 28 November 2014. He has played 21 games since then.
• Zack Smith's last point was on 24 November 2014. He has played 23 games since then.
• Go Blue Jays!/