Game 72 Hub: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Ottawa Senators

We're down to the last three weeks of the season, but somehow this is the first time the Sens will face the Blue Jackets.

It comes with stakes too, though more for Columbus than Ottawa. The Blue Jackets currently hold down the last wild card spot, but only by virtue of the fewer games played tiebreaker over Montreal and the Rangers, and just one point up on the Islanders. They need a point to stay ahead of Montreal tonight (and probably two to stay ahead of the Rangers who are in San Jose).

It's also the first of three between these two teams, which happens to provide the same number of points that separate them in the standings. While the Sens aren't playing for their playoff lives tonight, it is an opportunity to deny points to one of the teams chasing them.

Here are the Sens lines from today's morning skate

Game Notes

• Fabian Zetterlund picked up his first point as a Senator in the last game, but is still looking for his first goal. While putting him with Stützle and Giroux seems like a good way to help that in theory, they were Ottawa's least productive line in their first game together on Thursday
• David Perron is on a mini-heater with goals in each of the last three games
• The results have (mostly) been good, but can the Senators get a lead and actually look solid holding on to it? They have had the lead in five of the last six games - in two they gave it up, and the other three they held on by their fingernails
• It is a back-to-back for both teams - Ottawa will be in Pittsburgh tomorrow, while Columbus won a wild one at home in the shootout against Vancouver
• Your out-of-town scoreboard watch list for today:
  • Islanders @ Lightning, 2PM
  • Bruins @ Red Wings, 8PM
  • Rangers @ Sharks, 10:30PM
• In other Ottawa hockey news, the Charge are in St. Louis to face Boston in the final Takeover Tour game of the season. A win (of any variety) will put them ahead of Minnesota for the final playoff spot with four games remaining in the season. Boston has swept the season series against Ottawa so far. Puck drop on that one is shortly after 2pm, streaming on CBC Gem
• Senators puck drop is shortly after 7pm, and you can catch it on CityTV, Sportsnet One or TVA Sports

Stats

Team Stats

Player Stats