Senators fall to Blues

Tonight the Senators kick off their longest (well tied for their longest) road trip of the season. Starting in St. Louis the Sens will be on the road until December 23rd when they host the Penguins and it's a challenging road along the way. Four of the five teams are actively in playoff spots with St. Louis sitting just one point out coming into tonight. To make it more interesting, the Senators will face three of the top ten teams in the NHL on this road trip. A good test to see where the team stands heading into the holidays.

St. Louis comes into this one hungry having lost their last four straight to the Golden Knights, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks and Red Wings. Tonight will be new head coach Drew Bannister's debut with the team after the Blues parted ways with Craig Berube following the loss to Detroit. Led by Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchenivich with 27 and 21 points respectively look for the Blues big hitters to be on tonight to set the tone of this new era.

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The Senators are looking to turn the page following a disappointing home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. However, before that game the Sens had been playing really good hockey, having won three of their last four and playing a more disciplined brand over the five games prior to Carolina. The Hurricanes came into that game hungry themselves having lost four straight, so perhaps the takeaway for the Sens from that loss was how to stifle that hunger and keep playing their own brand of hockey.

Last season the series was split down the middle with these two with each claiming the victory on home ice. With the return of Vladimir Tarasenko and homegrown Brady Tkachuk expect a good turnout tonight that the Sens will try to quiet through 60 minutes.

By the numbers

Head Coach D.J. Smith confirmed that Mark Kastelic will be entering the line up tonight for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain against the LA Kings on Nov. 2. Below is how the team lined up at morning skate:

Hear from head coach D.J. Smith and forward Brady Tkachuk ahead of tonight's game against the St. Louis Blues:

Coming to you live from Enterprise Center!

Goal: St. Louis opens the scoring as Justin Faulk flips the puck to a streaking Justin Thomas who gets behind the Senators defence to pot his 11th of the season.

Penalty: Mark Kastelic is called for interference on Alexey Toropchenko with 8:51 to play in the first period. Blues will have the first crack at the man advantage.

Sens penalty kill stands strong and it's back to five-on-five.

Penalty: Brady Tkachuk is called for holding MacKenzie MacEachern with 18.9 seconds left in the period.

Blues carry a 1-0 lead into the first intermission and will continue their power play for 1:41 to start the second.

Senators fight off the remainder of the penalty to start the second period.

Penalty: Vladimir Tarasenko is called for tripping Hugh McGing at the 2:24 mark of the second.

Sens kill off their second penalty of the game.

Goal: Robert Thomas scores his second of the game off a rebound from Justin Faulks shot. 2-0 Blues.

Penalty: Jordan Kyrou is called for holding Claude Giroux at the 5:52 mark and the Sens have their first try on the power play.

Goal: Brandon Saad puts a snap shot past Korpisalo and it's 3-0 Blues with 11:18 to play.

Penalty: Brady Tkachuk wins a heavyweight tilt at centre ice against Tyler Tucker which results in both players picking up a penalty.

Goal: Dominik Kubalik goes five-hole on Binnington to get one back for the Sens, 3-1.

Penalty: Alexey Toropchenko is called for holding Erik Brännström with 3:54 to play.

Blues kill off this one.

The second comes to an end with Blues holding a 3-1 lead.

Goal: Pavel Buchenevich scores his 10th of the season to make it 4-1 Blues with 12:53 left in this one.

Goal: Mathieu Joseph tips a shot from Ridly Greig that finds its way past Jordan Binnington to make it 4-2.

The Senators empty their net to make a push to score a late goal but come up empty. This one ends 4-2 in favour of St. Louis.