Ottawa Senators To Host Buffalo Sabres at CTC
A record of 3-3-2 under Dave Cameron doesn’t scream improvement, but one could certainly argue that the on ice product looks a lot better than the one his predecessor had compiled in the games previous.
Despite losing in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, the team seems to be playing a bit more to its strengths instead of trying to fit a mould that had square-peg-round-hole written all over it.
Tonight they take on the Buffalo Sabres and look to continue upon the slight improvements they’ve made since their new coach’s debut.
14-14-7 Ottawa Senators
VS
14-19-3 Buffalo Sabres
7:30 pm
Canadian Tire Center, Ottawa
TV: RDSI, TSN5, Radio: TSN 1200
MATCH-UP HISTORY
The Ottawa Senators managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory last time these two clubs met. Buffalo won in a shootout after scoring in the final few minutes to tie the game up and send it into extra frames.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cody Hodgson, Buffalo – with 2 goals and six points on the season more is expected of Buffalo’s supposed first line centre. Much, much more.
Mike Hoffman, Ottawa – now the Senators’ leading goal-getter, Hoffman, Mika Zibanejad and Bobby Ryan have been on fire for a while now and it seems that Hoffman in particular is always a threat when he heads over the boards.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Get the lead, and keep it – Last time around the Senators managed to rally back from a two goal deficit and put themselves in position to win in regulation, only to to have the Sabres tie the game and go on to win in a shootout. This time they’ve got to grab the lead when they can, and keep it. Buffalo is only 4 points back of the Ottawa in the standings and as such we cannot afford to be giving up many points, especially to teams chasing us.
2. Line 1A – 69-93-6 are going to have to be present and prevalent. They’ve been the best offensive line for the Senators for a good little while now, and that status quo will have to be maintained against the Sabres.
3. King Karl puts it all together – Don’t get me wrong, I love Erik Karlsson. He’s our captain and he’s our best player by light years, but for most of the season he’s been guilty of some egregious turnovers that are very unbecoming of royalty such as he. I have faith that Karlsson is capable of better defensive play than we’ve seen, and I’m hoping the team’s middling record will give him pause enough to reflect on how he can get back there.