While we might want the remote control from the movie Click to fast forward this debacle of a season to the trade deadline, and then subsequently to July 1, the games must still be played in real time and the Senators return home tonight in their last game before departing for the All-Star break.
The Boston Bruins provide the opposition on this night, and they put their 17 game point streak on the line. Boston hasn't lost in regulation since Dec 14th, putting up a 13-0-4 record in that time. They have moved within striking range of the Lightning for first in the Division and Conference, and have a nice five point cushion on the Leafs with four games in hand.
Still, the Bruins will want to ride that streak into the break, and although you can't change the past, exact a little revenge on the Senators for last season's playoff series and kick them while they are down.
The Bruins will be without Brad Marchand, who leads the club in goals, assists and points. Marchand was suspended for 5 games for an elbow on the Devils' Marcus Johanssen. They will also be without standout rookie blueliner Charlie McAvoy, who will miss a couple of weeks as he gets treatment for an irregular heartbeat. Patrice Bergeron is battling the flu but is expected to play.
Ottawa could get a boost on the injury front with the pending return of forwards Mark Stone and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. It is not certain yet, but one or both could return after missing two and four games respectively.
These teams met twice between Christmas and New Year's, and that didn't work out well for the Senators. In what felt like a couple of their worst games of the season (but who can really tell any more), Boston outscored Ottawa by a combined 10-1 in those two games.
Since the Senators have been playing much of the last 3 months like they already have one foot on the plane, it might be difficult to notice if that is the case tonight, as is often the case before a team gets set to to on a break. After tonight the Senators will be off until next Tuesday when they meet back up in Carolina.