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Six months ago, many would've pinned a Saturday afternoon game against the New Jersey Devils as the final installment of the 2011-2012 season. The Ottawa Senators - under first year head coach Paul MacLean - had a different idea.
Ottawa's surprising run through the Eastern Conference was rewarded a week ago with a playoff berth, guaranteeing that the team will see at least four more games added to their schedule by the National Hockey League.
While Ottawa's playoff fate may have been already decided, it's still unclear as to who will draw against them in round one, thanks in large part to Ottawa's stumbling over the last pair of games. If Ottawa grabs at least a point against New Jersey on Saturday, they'll draw against the Boston Bruins in RD1.
If not? Well, then things get a bit tricky. Outcomes were laid out in yesterday's column:
If Washington can beat New York and Florida grab at least one point v. the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa would slide back into the eighth-overall seed. However, if Washington wins and Florida loses in regulation, Ottawa would keep their seventh-overall seed via ROW tiebreaker with Florida, and Washington would clinch the Southeast division.
Ottawa's opponent today in New Jersey is already assured of the sixth-overall seed in the Eastern Conference, but they too are awaiting the results of tonight's action. They'll draw against the Southeast division winner in the 3-6 match-up.
With little to play for on both sides, today's action may be a bit uninspired. Still, expect Paul MacLean of Ottawa and Pete DeBoer of New Jersey to will their team to victory, trying to build some much-needed momentum heading into the playoffs.
Between the crease, it'll be two familiar faces in Craig Anderson and Martin Brodeur. On the year, Anderson's posted a 33-21-6 record, with a .914 save percentage and 2.83 GAA. Brodeur's 30-21-4 on the season, with a .907 save percentage and 2.41 GAA.
Lineup changes are expected on both ends. Matt Carkner's been removed from the Ottawa lineup in favor of Matty Gilroy, and Kaspars Daugavins looks to draw in for the recently-injured Chris Neil. Good news on the Neil injury front: It doesn't appear to be serious, and shouldn't hold him out of playoff action.
David Clarkson's out today with a LBI, paving the way for Stephen Gionta to center L4. Anton Volchenkov's been removed from the lineup with the flu. Adam Larsson's expected to play.
Puck drops at 3:00 PM ET.
Ottawa Senators
olin Greening - Jason Spezza - Milan Michalek
Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Daniel Alfredsson
Erik Condra - Zack Smith - Kaspars Daugavins
Rob Klinkhammer - Jim O'Brien - Jesse Winchester
Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson
Chris Phillips - Sergei Gonchar
Jared Cowen - Matt Gilroy
New Jersey Devils
Zach Parise - Travis Zajac - Ilya Kovalchuk
Petr Sykora - Patrik Elias - Dainius Zubrus
Alexei Ponikarovsky - Adam Henrique - Stevie Bernier
Eric Boulton - Stephen Gionta - Ryan Carter
Bryce Salvador- Marek Zidlicky
Andy Greene - Mark Fayne
Adam Larsson - Peter Harrold
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