Make sure to follow Travis on Twitter and
Facebook!
--
In the middle of a four-game losing streak, the Boston Bruins have frantically tried to open the door to the Northeast division for the Ottawa Senators. Should Ottawa defend home ice against Montreal tonight, the Senators could grab hold lead of the divisional race for the first time since March 9th, 2010.
If this entire season's been a surprise, pushing the Boston Bruins to the brink in the divisional race has to be an exclamation point for Paul MacLean's club. Sure, the Bruins have tried giving it away as much as Ottawa's tried grabbing it, but credit this youthful and exuberant team from the nation's capital - projected by many to finish dead last in the East - for fighting all season.
Still, there's plenty of work to be done, and a victory against Montreal is no guarantee. In fact, Montreal's one of the few teams that has had Ottawa's number this season, running a 3-0-1 record through the first four games of the season series. After tonight, the teams will meet once more on March 23rd at the Bell Centre.
The two most recently battled into the shootout on Wednesday night, where Carey Price shined against Ottawa's Ben Bishop. The twenty-five year old acquisition in Bishop has been solid since coming over from St. Louis, but he wasn't game for an elite netminder the likes of Carey Price earlier in the week.
Good news? Bishop will get his shot at redemption on Friday night. Both Price - 25-26-9, .915 save percentage, 2.44 GAA - and Bishop - 2-0-2, .926 save percentage, 2.16 GAA - are expected to give it a go for their respective clubs.
Both teams are expected to make a couple of lineup changes in preparation for Friday night's tilt. Tomas Kaberle's dealing with an upper-body injury, meaning Frédéric St-Denis should draw into the lineup for Montreal.
Ottawa's opted to swap Bobby Butler(in) and Kaspars Daugavins. Paul MacLean noted that Butler's the faster of the two, and that the team has really struggled skating against Montreal this season. Regarding the skating issues v. Montreal's speed - well, I couldn't agree more.
Puck drop is at 7:00 PM ET on CBC and RDS. Will Ottawa be in first place by nightfall, or will Montreal again emerge victorious?
Montreal Canadiens
Cole-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Bourque-Plekanec-White
Geoffrion-Eller-Leblanc
Palushaj-Nokelainen-Staubitz
Subban-Gorges
Markov-Weber
Campoli-St. Denis
Ottawa Senators
Greening-Spezza-Michalek
Klinkhammer-Turris-Alfredsson
Condra-Smith-Butler
Foligno-O'Brien-Neil
Kuba-Karlsson
Cowen-Gonchar
Phillips-Gilroy
--
Thanks for reading!
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»