UPDATED: Curtis Lazar didn't participate in full practice and is could now be doubtful for the game tonight. Mika Zibanejad will likely move back to the middle between Hoffman and Stone, with Greening entering the lineup alongside David Legwand and Bobby Ryan.
After being off the ice since Saturday's humbling loss to the Flames, the Senators return home to face what has become, at least early on in the season, a Western Conference powerhouse. The Predators beat the Senators 3-2 in each team's opening game, on Shea Weber's wraparound goal that started (or is it continued?) the Cowen-bashing that was so relevant early on in the season.
Returning home, the Senators experimented with new lines on Wednesday, and coincidentally (or not) they were exactly the same lineup I said would be ideal when
discussing the lineup on Monday..
MacArthur - Turris - Chiasson
Hoffman - Lazar - Stone
Zibanejad- Legwand - Ryan
Michalek - Smith - Neil
I think that lineup shows the best balance throughout the top 3 lines, gives Ryan a left handed centre to play with (as long as Ryan plays right wing), and keeps the most consistent line (the kid line) together. Legwand has been getting a bad rap so far, but he has been anchored offensively by carrying Smith and Neil around the ice (not exactly offensive threats). When people point to his lack of production, they don't take into account the fact he has 4 power play points (T-3rd on the team) and the Sens power play was ranked in the top 10 firing at over 20% until a 0-for the road trip set them back.
Now that the lineup is the format that I personally like, the question will become how MacLean uses them. Giving the kid line more time 5 on 5 seems like a no-brainer, at least until they show that they cannot handle it. It is one thing to shield them if they get into trouble, but they have been the most effective forward unit on many nights with not much of a bonus in terms of getting more opportunity.
Chris Phillips will be a game day decision on the blue line, missing practice yesterday and Paul MacLean indicated that it could affect his status for tonight's game.
Robin Lehner will start in goal, his first time between the pipes since the November 9th loss to the free-falling Maple Leafs. Craig Anderson started all three games on the road trip and his game got progressively worse as it went along, and his puck handling skill (or more accurately lack thereof) really cost the team in Calgary.
Nashville comes in on a high after humiliating and embarrassing the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, pumping 9 goals behind the combination of Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer, for a 9-2 win. The new-found offensive punch for the Predators has been led by rookie Filip Forsberg, who is currently 6th in league scoring overall and running away with the freshman scoring title with 22 points (the next closest rookie has 13). He also leads the team with a +20 rating.
The Predators went to the scrap heap to find guys that could play centre, bringing in 3 veterans for a total of about $4.5M. While the most expensive of them,Olli Jokinen, has been a bust with no points, Derek Roy has been decent and Mike Ribeiro has been great with 16 points and a +12 rating so far this season.
They have been equally stingy defensively, with Pekka Rinne healthy and back in top form and a very solid two-way group of defensemen in front of him, led by Shea Weber and Roman Josi.
The Senators have their work cut out for them if they want to get back into the win column, and with 4 days off, they can't rely on the old "first game back from a road trip" excuse.
Fortunately, the Senators haven't lost any placing in the standings despite being idle for so long, and now have at least a game or three in hand on almost every team ahead of them.
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