Game Day Five: Senators at Penguins, Jan. 20
The set-up
Head coach D.J. Smith has referred to this home-and-home match up with Pittsburgh a mini playoff series since before Wednesday's game at Canadian Tire Centre. Round one had everyone on the edge of their seat as the game went back and forth with four ties along the way before Brady Tkachuk put the game away just 25 seconds into overtime. Pittsburgh, a savvy veteran team, has had their time to review the tape and will surely come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. Led by their longtime leaders Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin who both had three points on Wednesday, the Senators will have their hands full keeping Pittsburgh's top players in check.
They say to beat the best your best players must be at their best. That is the easiest way to sum up how Wednesday's game went for the Ottawa Senators with goals from five of the six leading goal scorers including a monster four-point performance from the All-Star Brady Tkachuk. An effort that was reminiscent of the teams initial home stand, when they were putting up four to seven goals with four or more goal scorers on a nightly basis. A huge night for the power play unit as well potting four goals on the night to right the ship and put them back in third in the NHL with a 27.4% conversion rate.
With the final wildcard spot in arms reach look for this battle to have a little extra fire behind it. Another night of the best players playing at their best, it could well come down to who is better between Crosby and Malkin or Tkachuk and Stützle. We're all eager to see who comes out on top!
Roster notes
Mathieu Joseph will make his return to the line up for the first time since sustaining an injury on December 8th against Dallas. With no practice this morning below is how the Senators lined up for their game against Pittsburgh on Wednesday:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Stützle - Batherson
DeBrincat - Norris - Giroux
Brassard - Pinto - Gambrell
Kelly - Kastelic - Watson
Defense:
Chabot - Zaitsev
Sanderson - Hamonic
Brannstrom - Holden
Wild card positioning
We're on the back nine of the NHL season where every point matters. Coming into the game on Wednesday Pittsburgh held the final wild card spot with a nine-point lead on the Senators. With the Senators win they chipped into that lead by one point but there's still ground to make up. While it's easy enough to look at this game's playoff implications one can't ignore the logjam between the Senators and Pittsburgh vying for that last spot. Pittsburgh, the Islanders, Florida, Buffalo, Detroit, Philadelphia and your Senators all sit between 43 and 51 points. Washington sits just five points ahead, though that's with an additional four games played. In that mix, the Senators are tied for the fewest games played so they can really make up ground in a hurry in the playoff race as we inch closer to the end of the season.
Who to watch
For the first time since sustaining an injury on December 8th, the Senators will have Mathieu Joseph back in the line-up tonight. The forward comes into tonight with two goals and seven assists as he's anchored the third line for 25 games this season. Joseph provides an incredible speed boost to the team and his physicality and effort on the defensive end are a welcome spark to any team! Joseph will get to put his metal to the test with linemate Shane Pinto for the first time since early this season after Pinto slotted into Norris' top six centre role. The chemistry that Joseph and Pinto had early this season was a fun sight to behold, with Joseph right alongside Pinto during his five game goal streak at the beginning of this season.
Joseph mentioned in his media availability yesterday that "anytime you return from injury you hope to have an impact on the game." Look for Joseph to have that impact here tonight and make Senators fans remember what we have been without for the last month and a half!
Where to watch
Friday's game can be seen live on TSN5 and RDS. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
