As the Ottawa Senators still await a real lights-out home ice performance, they might get a good opportunity for just that tonight as they host a team that played last night to a hard-fought win in Toronto.
The Jets are hanging tough in the very strong Central Division, and are in the last of a 4 game road trip. After being shelled by the Habs on Sunday night, they had a couple of days to lick their wounds and eked out a 4-2 win over the Leafs on Wednesday. It was a tough, physical game that was very much in doubt until the last couple of minutes, so they certainly didn't have a chance to coast and save a whole lot in the tank for tonight.
That could work into the Senators' advantage, but only if Ottawa comes out like they are on the road (given the inconsistency of home ice performances so far this season). They need to take it to the Jets and not let Winnipeg get any momentum and make them look forward to just getting home.
Craig Anderson was stellar in Tuesday's win over the Habs, and he has something to prove in showing that he can do it in back to back games against a very solid young team that has scoring potential on every line. Names like Scheifele, Ehlers and Burmistrov have joined the stalwarts Ladd, Little and Wheeler to make the Jets a dangerous, deep and speedy team, one that will certainly bite you early and often if you aren't ready for them.
The Jets will likely counter with Michael Hutchinson between the pipes after Ondrej Pavelec earned the win against the Leafs.
Ottawa will be without Winnipeg native Mark Stone, who sits the second of his two game suspension against his home-town team, and the Senators lineup will be the same as the one who came away with the win in a tight, well played game in Montreal.
Discipline will be key for the Senators, because not only have they had a tough time killing penalties, but the Jets have a power play that has clicked at 21.6% so far this season. Not a night to be taking an abundance of penalties, even "good" ones. The speed of the Jets makes me worry about the Cowen-Borowieki duo and their ability to handle the rush, especially guys like Ehlers and Burmistrov, who are small, fast and shifty players.
But then again, that is a concern for many of you on most nights so why should this be any different?