How to watch: TSN5 / RDS
How to listen: TSN 1200 / Unique FM 94,5
When: 7 p.m. EST
Where: Amerant Bank Arena
It's the second game in as many night for the Senators and fresh off a win in Tampa Bay the Sens look to sweep Florida to wrap up this road trip. Tonight's challenge provides an opportunity to avenge the 5-0 loss the Panthers dealt the Sens in their first meeting back on Nov. 27 at Canadian Tire Centre. That night things got fiery with 167 penalty minutes doled out highlighted by the referee throwing out every player on the ice with about 7:30 to play in the game. This has become a budding rivalry carrying over from last season, so don't be surprised to see heated competition for a full 60 tonight.
After back-to-back disappointing losses the Sens rebounded in a big way last night looking like the better team for most of the 60 minutes en route to a 4-2 victory. The hero of the night was none other than former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mathieu Joseph who potted two against his former team, something he has made a habit out of with four goals in five career games against the Lightning.
The Sens found their identity that they had established during their stretch between Jan. 13 to Feb. 13 that saw them go 8-2-2 with a four-game win streak mxed in. Key to that identity was a whole team buy into to laying their body on the line, getting sticks into passing lanes, and as a whole just defedning as a group of five. If they can carry that momentum into tonight they may just play the role of spoiler and get their momentum back for a late season push.
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Florida comes into this contest as perhaps the hottest team in the NHL, one point back of Boston for the best record in the Eastern Conference, four points back of Vancouver for the best record in the NHL, and winners of nine of their last ten. While you may think with elite offensive talents like Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart that their offence has been carrying them to victory, it's really been their collective defensive effort. Ranking 2nd in the league in goals against only allowing 2.44 per game, on the 2nd fewest shots allowed in the league paired with the fourth ranked penalty kill unit in the league killing 83.1% of penalties. Ya this team is tough to score against.
However, as elite as they've been at preventing goals they also have some elite talents lighting the lamp night after night. Sam Reinhart is in the midst of a career season with a whopping 39 goals in 55 games, on pace for nearly 60 goal season. Alongside him Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaege and Aleksander Barkov are all back averaging over a point per game with 64, 58, and 54 (in 49 games) points on the season respectively.
Suffice it to say the task tonight is a tall one but as they say to be the best you have to beat the best and if the Senators want to push for the playoffs they're going to have to start beating some of the best.
