Ottawa Senators March On In Quest Of Playoffs Vs New York Rangers
By Jack Leiper
The Senators are set to take on an eastern conference powerhouse in the New York Rangers as their quest toward the playoffs continues.
(41-26-1,3 95 Pts)
vs
(52-21-7, 111 Pts)
7:05 PM
Madison Square Garden
TV: TSN 5 Radio: TSN 1200
MATCH-UP HISTORY
The Ottawa Senators have had previous success at MSG, yet have faltered lately. Andrew Hammond‘s only regulation loss came at the hand of the New York Rangers as he was taken from the game with an injury, where Chris Driedger finished what was a 5-1 loss.
The season series has gone 0-1-1 for Ottawa as they look to move into the “W” column vs the Rangers tonight.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Not Staal, Zucarello, or Nash, NYR – Yep, that’s right. It’s towards the end of the season and New York is resting some of their top players. Staal, Zucarello, and Nash are important parts of the Rangers lineup and will see their spots taken by players like Chris Summers, Jesper Fast, and Ryan Bourque.
Bobby Ryan, OTT – It’s time for Bobby to get going, and now is the time. Mark Stone and Kyle Turris have become the players who have succeeded when Bobby’s been down, but if this team is to make the playoffs, Bobby Ryan will have played a large part in the teams overall season success. Look for him to give one final push if the dream is to happen.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
Stay Calm – The Senators are facing a New York team missing some big players. If Ottawa sits back, this lineup will still cause some damage and with a win more important than ever, Ottawa just needs to play their game.
Avoid Early Deficits – Ottawa fell to Pittsburgh 3-0 in the first period, and although comebacks are great, it would be nice if Ottawa could avoid having to do so again. The first goal is highly important for the Senators as getting some early momentum could easily set the pace the rest of the way through.
The Hamburglar – Can he do it again? Hammond was stellar in the Senators game vs Pittsburgh, especially when they needed him. He played well in Toronto and will face the king tonight in New York. Andrew Hammond’s streak has carried this team to the playoffs and he gets the chance to finish it with two games left.
Look for the “Hamburglar” to be another major talking point tonight.