GAMEDAY PREVIEW #57: The Carolina Hurricanes host the Ottawa Senators

Senators set to face Hurricanes on Friday night

After Monday’s loss against the Boston Bruins, the Ottawa Senators travel to Raleigh to take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Here is your SenShot GameDay Preview:

Ottawa Senators (27-25-4, 58 pts) @ Carolina Hurricanes (38-10-8, 84 pts)

Time: 7 PM Eastern

Where to Watch: TSN5, RDS2

Where to Listen: TSN1200

Ottawa Senators Notes

The Senators continue their playoff push as they currently sit 6 points out of a wildcard spot. The Sens have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. The Sens are currently battling with about half a dozen teams for the two wildcard spots in the East. The good thing is that the Ottawa Senators still have a handful of games in hand compared to their rivals battling for those two spots.

The Sens are playing against the second-best team in the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season. After today, they play the Hurricanes two more times, on April 4th and April 10th.

First-line center Tim Stützle is continuing his hot streak, having been named the first star of the NHL last week, having scored 4 goals and 6 assists in 4 games.

The Senators have not played since Monday’s game against Boston, in which they lost 3-1. This is the beginning of 4 games in 5 days for the Sens, where they play against the Canes tonight, travel to Montreal for Saturday, they host the Red Wings on Monday, and again on Tuesday. This stretch will provide a good picture of where the Sens are in terms of playoff spots.

Jacob Larsson was recalled ahead of tonight’s game, this could indicate that Jake Sanderson is not quite ready yet after missing the last two weeks. In 7 games this season, he has done his job so far, not being on for any goals against. He also has gone scoreless.

Cam Talbot is scheduled to start tonight (barring any changes), it will be his first game back after a groin injury on January 25th. His record so far this year is 12-13-1 with a .905 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average.

This will be the first game for the Ottawa Senators without Nikita Zaitsev since his trade to the Chicago Blackhawks

Carolina Hurricanes Notes

The Carolina Hurricanes currently sit at second in the league in overall standings. They have won their last 4 games, all in convincing fashion.

Against the St Louis Blues, Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals, snapping his 19-game goal drought, also scoring 20 goals for the fifth time in his NHL career.

Sebastian Aho has scored 12 goals since January 15th. Leading the NHL in that timeframe.

Brent Burns has scored 22 points against the Ottawa Senators in 21 career games. He also has a 4 game-point streak entering tonight’s contest.

Ottawa Senators Lines:

Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux

Alex DeBrincat – Shane Pinto – Drake Batherson

Derick Brassard – Ridly Greig – Julien Gauthier

Mathieu Joseph – Dylan Gambrell – Austin Watson

Thomas Chabot – Artem Zub

Jake Sanderson / Jacob Larsson – Travis Hamonic

Erik Brannstrom – Nick Holden

Cam Talbot

Mads Sogaard

Carolina Hurricanes Lines:

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Teuvo Teravainen – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Martin Necas

Jordan Martinook – Jordan Staal – Jesper Fast

Stefan Noesen – Paul Stastny – Derek Stepan

Jaccob Slavin – Brent Burns

Brady Skjei – Brett Pesce

Calvin De Haan – Jalen Chatfield

Freddy Andersen

Antti Raanta