Game Day Five: Senators at Sabres, Apr. 13
The set-up
Way back on October 13th, the Senators kicked off this season in Buffalo, now here we are exactly six months later wrapping this campaign up in Buffalo once more. With both teams officially out of playoff contention this game will be about finishing the season the right way.
The Senators come into tonight with several players on the verge of milestones. Claude Giroux, who just tallied his 1000th NHL point, tied his career high in goal in a season last game with the opportunity to set a new career high at 35 years old. Additionally, Giroux is set to play in his 1100th NHL game. Tim Stützle sits two goals away from the first 40-goal season of his career and the first for the Senators since Daniel Alfredsson in the 2007-08 NHL season. Of course, should the Senators win they will cross the 40-win plateau for the first time since the 2016-17 NHL season.
Buffalo, just eliminated from playoff contention two nights ago following a loss to New Jersey, will look to finish the season on a high note. Tonight being the first night of a back-to-back to finish the season, Buffalo has a real chance to have the highest season total since their 2010-11 campaign when they ended with 96 points. Buffalo has an electric offense with four skaters with over 70 points, led by Tage Thompson with 96. Anchored by a familiar face in Craig Anderson, possibly playing in his final NHL game, the Senators are surely in for a test tonight!
Roster notes
Following their game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Senators re-assigned Jacob Bernard-Docker and in a corresponding move recalled Maxence Guenette to/from Belleville. With no practice this morning, below is how the Senators lined up for morning skate yesterday at Canadian Tire Centre:
Forwards:
Tkachuk - Stützle - Giroux
DeBrincat - Pinto - Batherson
Joseph - Kastelic - Brown
Sokolov - Gambrell - Gauthier
Defense:
Sanderson - Zub
Brannstrom - Holden
Kleven - Guenette
A full 82
For all the injury woes the Senators have dealt with this season, it is worth noting how they have managed to keep their top six so healthy. Heading into the last game of the NHL season the Senators will see five different players play a full 82 games this season. Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux, Alex DeBrincat, Drake Batherson and Shane Pinto have all managed to avoid the injury bug and will play the full season.
For Tkachuk, Batherson and Pinto this marks the first time of their careers that they have hit the 82 games mark in a season. For Giroux it will be the seventh time that he's played 82 games, but the first since the 2018-19 NHL season. DeBrincat has been a bit of an ironman in his career having only missed four games in his six year career, and playing in every single game in five of six seasons.
These are promising signs for a team that dealt with more than its fair share of the injury bug.
Who to watch
Set to make his NHL debut, Max Guenette is our player to watch tonight. The former seventh-round pick of the 2019 NHL draft has scratched and clawed his way here through stellar play in Belleville. In his two seasons as a pro he has tallied 10 goals and 47 assists through 117 games in the AHL. Having built a reputation as a steady reliable defenceman, look for Guenette to continue to prove his game on the biggest stage alongside rookie defenceman Tyler Kleven.
Where to watch
Thursday's game can be seen live on TSN5 and RDS2. Fans can also tune into the radio call on TSN 1200 and Unique FM 94,5.
