Game 45 Preview and Open Thread: Boston Bruins @ Ottawa Senators

The Boston Bruins have a 22-18-4 record over 46 games for 49 points and a 53.3% winning percentage.

The Ottawa Senators (and ugh... Montréal Canadiens) have a 22-18-4 record over 44 games for 48 points and a 54.5% winning percentage.

So, while the Bruins are ahead in points, the Sens are ahead in the overall race. It's neck-and-neck, though, and with two games this week against each other, the four point swing might be the difference come mid-April between a playoff spot and a dreaded ninth place.

Let's get loud this afternoon, Sens fans, it's game day.

Game lineups

As of writing, we don't have an indication of whether the Sens lineup will be changing all that much from the team that faced the Capitals on Thursday. If there is a change, I imagine it's putting Thomas Chabot back in for Donovan Sebrango, as I imagine this would be a hard contest to put David Perron into even if he's getting closer.

Meanwhile, here's how the Bruins lined up at practice on Friday. Charlie McAvoy and Cole Koepke are not expected to play due to injury, ditto with Hampus Lindholm.

Game notes

• As you can see in the stats below, the Bruins are a one-man show centred around David Pastrnak, who leads them in every major statistical category. Only Brad Marchand and Pavel Zacha are scoring at a rate higher than 0.5 points-per-game, with Elias Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, and Morgan Geekie above 20 points.
• The Sens, whose offence isn't much better, have Stützle, Batherson, Tkachuk, Giroux, Norris, and Sanderson at a >0.5 points-per-game rate.
• The pair of Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy give the Bruins a chance when they're on the ice. That they're both injured and might miss two of Boston's three meetings with Ottawa is a big blessing for the Senators.
• That's not to overshow that journeymen Parker Wotherspoon and Jordan Oesterle have actually filled in admirably, but they don't have anywhere near the on-ice impact as the big boys.
• Other (positive) surprises for the Bruins that I'll be keeping my eye on: Justin Brazeau on L4 and Morgan Geekie on L1. Strong seasons for both, and if the Bruins are out by the trade deadline, I imagine they'll be underrated targets for contending teams.
• Jeremy Swayman has rebounded after his tough start to the season, putting up a 0.925 save-percentage in his last eight games. With the injuries and overall quality of their lineup, the Bruins are counting on playing detailed, defensive hockey tonight and hope that Swayman can win them the game. It's on the Sens to make his life more difficult than they made Logan Thompson's on Thursday night.

This afternoon's game has a 3:00pm ET start and can be watched in-person at the Canadian Tire Centre or on TV on CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports, or NESN.

Statistics

Via NHL.com and NaturalStatTrick.com