Win And They’re In As Ottawa Senators Take On Philadelphia Flyers
So, this is it. It’s all come down to this.
Win — and they’re in. Lose, and fate is no longer in their hands.
This Saturday at noon your Ottawa Senators will take on the Philadelphia Flyers with a playoff spot hanging in the balance. It started out on February 10th, and through 30 games and 22 wins, the 2014-’15 Senators have now find themselves a single point away from punching their ticket to the big dance.
(42-26-1,3 97 Pts)
vs
(33-30-18, 84 Pts)
12:30 PM
Wells Fargo Center
TV: SN,RDS2,TSN5,CSN-PH, Radio: TSN Team 1200
MATCH-UP HISTORY
This will also be the deciding game for the season series as both teams have played twice this season, splitting shootout victories. Bobby Ryan and Wayne Simmonds scored the winners for their respective teams.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Mark Stone, OTT – Wow. Just wow. If Stone isn’t at least one of the three nominations for the Calder Trophy then I think the PHWA needs to be reading a bit more than they’re writing, and they can start with the stat lines:
- 45 points in the last 46 games
- First in the league in takeaways
- 10 points in the last 7 games, with six of them being goals (all in the most absolutely crucial games of the season)
I could delve more into Stone and his stats, but by all accounts this kid is a gem, and has now become Ottawa’s very best and most clutch forward.
Steve Mason, PHI – Played a stellar game against the Penguins a little while ago, and after Ray Emery took the loss against Carolina on Thursday, it seems very likely that he Flyers will return to the former Calder winner to backstop them against the Senators.
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Take No Chances, Take No Prisoners: This is the penultimate game of the season for Ottawa. They can’t, and they won’t take Philly lightly. Though the Senators’ chances look good, the playoffs are anything but a sure thing, and the team has to treat it as such and not let their foot off the gas for any long stretches in this game.
2. Hamburgular’s Gotta Steal it to Seal the Deal: Andrew Hammond has been nothing short of heroic for the Senators on this prolific run. They’ll need him to continue to be the steadying influence we know he can be, and to keep Philly’s big guns off the board as much as possible. Maybe he’ll even extend his shutout streak?
3. Is it Right to Hope for Spite?: Philly’s hate of Pittsburgh is generally well known, and this Saturday they may have a chance to significantly impact their Pennsylvanian rivals’ season. There are whispers (mostly within the Sens’ Army) that the Flyers might not give this game their all, so as to possibly spite the Penguins by losing and vaulting Ottawa further ahead of the Pens, possibly ousting them from the playoffs altogether.
We can certainly hope, but these are professional athletes and its isn’t likely that they would simply roll over.
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I encourage anyone reading this who can to head on down to the Canadian Tire Center at noon tomorrow to watch the game on the big screen and cheer on your Ottawa Senators. Parking and admission is free, and what could be better than cheering on your team in their arena for free?
Next: A Recap of Ottawa's Rollercoaster Ride So Far
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