Game 9 preview: Calgary Flames @ Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators continue to look for their first home win of the season when they host the Calgary Flames tonight. The Senators allowed two goals in the final 5:50 of regulation against New Jersey and followed that up with three goals allowed in the final 5:29 against Arizona. Ottawa is 0-2-2 at home this season and is also 0-2-2 in their last four games overall.

The Flames are 2-7-0 this season, with both wins in overtime and five out of the seven losses by three goals or more. Ottawa really needs to win this game tonight to stop the slide. It has to happen right?

Marc Methot will return to the lineup barring any further setbacks but unfortunately Mike Hoffman is still not good to go. Both Jared Cowen and Mark Borowiecki will some how keep their places in the lineup with Chris Wideman a healthy scratch. Craig Anderson will start.

Here are the lines from Sylvain St-Laurent.

Prince - Turris - Stone
Puempel - Zibanejad - Ryan
Michalek - Pageau - Chiasson
McCormick - Smith - Neil

Methot - Karlsson
Wiercioch - Ceci
Cowen - Borowiecki (*gulps*)

Anderson (starter)
Hammond

Some notes for tonight:

• It will be good to get Mark Borowiecki off the first pairing. Goodness gracious. I am not exactly Jared Cowen's biggest supporter, but even he is brought down by Boro.
• Calgary is really bad. They have not won in regulation this season. In fact they have never even held a lead in the third period. The latest that they have led a game is 12 minutes into the second period.
• Despite trailing for large chunks of games, the Flames have been outshot by 4.3 shots per game on average.
• The Senators have outshot the opposition 116-83 in the last three games.
• Ottawa's last win was exactly two weeks ago in Lumbus.
• Hopefully having an NHL level defensive partner will loosen Erik up to trust his partner with a pass and skate up the ice. It's probably a hard game to play when you can't do the things that you want to do due to a lack of trust.
• Even the top line does not look quite as dangerous without Hoffman. Thankfully he should be back at some point on the weekend though. Big opportunity for Shane Prince though.
• Patrick Wiercioch and Cody Ceci are quietly having a decent season. There haven't been too many issues on the second pairing and Ceci scored Ottawa's only goal against Arizona./