A thrilling comeback against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night has lifted the spirits in the Ottawa locker room. But, they'll need to shift their focus and energy in the direction of the Carolina Hurricanes at the always-raucous RBC Center if they want to move the winning streak to three.
As a young team, playing on the road is always a big challenge, but it'll be even more difficult with the longest-tenured captain in the National Hockey League in the press box. Daniel Alfredsson's hip has been giving him some minor issues, and he's using Tuesday as a maintenance day with hopes of quick recovery.
Much like last year, injuries are starting to take a toll on the already-depleted ranks in Ottawa. Peter Regin, Bobby Butler, and Matt Carkner are still out of the lineup, which means guys like Kaspars Daugavins - a recent call-up from Binghamton - are getting a rare shot at the NHL level.
One player who is trying to make the most of additional opportunity is Mika Zibanejad, who may play his ninth and final game with the team tonight. Ottawa's nine-game tryout with Zibanejad comes to an end on Tuesday, meaning the club will have to make a decision on his future. Send him back to the SEL, or keep him in the nation's capital? It's a tough choice to make.
I was told earlier this morning that said decision has already been made, although I'm not sure what that entails. There's so many pro/con arguments regarding Zibanejad it's almost headache-inducing. I guess the only takeaway from what I reported earlier on Twitter re: Zibanejad's future is that tonight's production - one way or another - may not factor into the final decision.
The challenge awaiting Ottawa tonight is a fairly daunting one, as Carolina's been a notoriously strong club in the head-to-head when they're at home. In fact, Ottawa's dropped seven straight contests in Raleigh.
Carolina's lineup will have a bit of a different look tonight, as both Anthony Stewart and Zac Dalpe will miss the game. Expect Zach Boychuk and Brett Sutter to draw in accordingly.
Said Paul Maurice of Boychuk's call-up after Stewart's LBI(CA):
"We needed somebody for the right side and we had a couple of good options down there."
Between the crease tonight: Craig Anderson of the Ottawa Senators and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes. Anderson's a career 2-0-2 against Carolina, with a .912 save pct and 3.46 GAA. Ward's seen Ottawa fifteen times in his impressive career, with an 8-6-0 record, .909 save pct, and 2.72 GAA.
Quick show of hands: How many of you had to physically lift your jaw off of the floor after Jacob Markstrom's performance against the Montreal Canadiens last night?
Listen - I knew the kid was talented. But that force field he put up against the Habs forwards on Monday night was something to seriously behold. His 40-save night in the raucous confines of the Bell Centre gave credence to the hype surrounding him as a blue-chip prospect out of the Elitserien.
Below, just one of many unreal save sequences Markstrom put together with the game late and close:
I'll take a wild guess and assume that another prime time Swedish prospect - Robin Lehner - caught some footage of Markstrom's game. And, knowing how ultra-competitive Lehner is, he has to be absolutely foaming at the mouth for his next stint in the National Hockey League. Lehner's hoping his next call-up is his last, but he's got some competition in the form of Craig Anderson for now.
Both Markstrom and Lehner are considered the pride of goaltending prospects in the National Hockey League, but it's hard not to draw comparisons between the two. Markstrom's a terrifying, monstrosity of a netminder, seemingly sealing off every single hole that most NHL-level snipers pick apart. Lehner's just as big between the pipes, but his athleticism and ability to see the game before it unfolds is what's made him such a desirable commodity in the Ottawa system.
If you were a general manager in the National Hockey League and had to pick one of the two to take over the starting goaltender position for your franchise in the long-run, who would you grab and why?
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»