The Ottawa Senators are set to close out their five-game road trip tonight at the KeyBank Center against the Buffalo Sabres. In the first four games of their western road trip, the Senators went 1-2-1 and accumulated three of eight points. Calling these two points critical may be an understatement.
The Senators’ forward lines will be very similar to what they iced in Anaheim, except for one addition. Sammy Blais is set to make his regular-season debut for the Senators after signing with the club in the off-season. The Montmagny, Québec native brings 278 NHL games to the team’s roster, with 30 goals and 49 assists. He signed to add depth, and with injuries to Warren Foegele, André Burakovsky, and William Eklund, it’s time for him to shine. Blais is a gritty and agitating winger who should do well tonight on the team’s fourth line with Nick Cousins and Stephen Halliday.
Forward Philip Tomasino will make his third consecutive start with the Senators and is set to begin the game on the team’s second line with Shane Pinto and Drake Batherson once again. Tomasino was signed for the same reason as Blais, but he made an immediate impact with an assist in his first game. Like Tomasino, there is a spot for Blais on the roster right now, but it is his to keep, and it is his opportunity to seize.
The blue line decisions
Another player on the Senators roster is set to return to the lineup and needs to make the most of his ice time to give head coach Travis Green a reason to keep him out of the press box. That player is Carter Yakemchuk. With injuries to Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson, it was as if Yakemchuk had a home in the team’s defensive core. Once they got key players back in the lineup, they scratched him for the last three games in favour of Nikolas Matinpalo.
Instead of sending Yakemchuk back to Belleville, they kept him on a weeklong road trip as reassurance. Tonight, Kleven is out of the lineup due to illness, so he has an opportunity to show he is worthy of a spot over Matinpalo. In 13 games played, the rookie defenceman has one goal and two assists.
Samuel Ersson is set to be in net tonight for the Senators. Despite a rocky start in his first few starts, he seemed to find his groove in his last game on October 31 in San Jose. Ersson made 22 of 23 saves and led the Senators to a 5-1 win over Celebrini and the Sharks.
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