Josh Brown will play his first game since Nov. 22 while Scott Sabourin will suit up for the first time since Nov. 14.
"It's been a while for me with Covid first, then in my first game back from that breaking my thumb," Brown said. "I'm definitely looking forward to it. These breaks have been kind of nice for me. They've given me an extra chance to get back in step with the guys and get maybe a couple more practices that I wouldn't have had and also less games missed.
"I'm definitely pretty excited for tonight."
Brown, who is pointless in 13 games this season, was placed in the NHL's Covid-19 protocol Nov. 10 and was removed 10 days later. He'd break his thumb two days later against the Avalanche and returned to practice Jan .2.
"Josh has to provide us a presence," Sens head coach D.J. Smith said. "Prior to him getting hurt, I thought it was one of his best games in Boston way back when [on Nov. 9]. He was physical, had big hits, was emotional. He got Covid, then his first game back he got hurt.
"He needs to play like that and needs to be mean and create room for himself and to box out and be hard to play against. That's a good Josh Brown for us in the NHL."
Brown is set to play alongside Erik Brannstrom on the Senators' blue line tonight, a pairing that has taken shape over the team's last few practices.
"He's a really smart hockey player," Brown said of Brannstrom. "He's obviously got way more offensive upside than myself so we go well together because we are opposites and I'm more defensive."
As for Sabourin, he'll play his fourth game of the season and first in two months tonight. He was re-assigned to Belleville on Nov. 16 and in 13 games in the AHL, Sabourin had four goals and eight points. He was recalled to the team's taxi squad Jan. 3.
"He deserves a game," Smith said. "This is the kind of team Sabby can play against. He's big, he's strong and will allow some of our younger guys to play a little freer."
Additionally, after missing the Sens' game against Toronto on New Year's Day, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Josh Norris will return to the lineup tonight.
For Bernard-Docker, it's a homecoming as he was born in Banff. Tonight will mark the first time his parents will see him play in an NHL game.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It'll definitely be really cool for me to play in Calgary in front of friends and family."
