The Ottawa Senators continue their unlikely quest for a playoff spot tonight with a new face in the lineup. Centre Scott Gomez, the veteran who has been the butt of many NHL jokes, was signed as a depth forward for the remainder of the season yesterday for a minimum contract. Gomez started the season with the Blues and had a goal and 7 assists in 21 games before he was released. He then went to Washington's farm team, the Hershey Bears on a PTO prior to signing this NHL deal with the Sens.
Gomez is centring the 4th line between Ryan Dzingel and Alex Chiasson at the morning skate today and will wear #23.
It is a curious move, but might be able to be a stop-gap measure but it is curious at this point in the season that a team that has stated a desire to get a better look at some younger players would sign a 36 year old veteran whose best years are well behind him and who doesn't fit into the Senators future plans in the least.
Meanwhile, with Craig Anderson out day to day, Andrew Hammond will get his first start in 3 weeks, after looking good in relief on Tuesday when he backstopped his team from a 3-0 deficit to salvage a point in the shootout loss to the Blues.
Tampa Bay comes in hot, winning 7 straight and now trail their intra-state rival Panthers by 2 points in the Atlantic Division.
The Lightning have been on a roll that most expected they would be on for most of the year after losing in the Stanley Cup finals. They have had their share of drama with the Jonathan Drouin situation and the Steven Stamkos contract issue. The team got going around the same time that GM Steve Yzerman confirmed that Stamkos would not be traded before the deadline and that he would end the season with the Bolts and the contract would get done after that, if it is going to get done.
Stamkos had a 6 game point streak snapped against the Leafs on Monday, during which he had 3 goals and 6 assists and he will be looking to start a new one as he gears up for the postseason. It is no coincidence that Tampa has won 7 straight, a streak that goes hand in hand with how their best player has picked up his game.
This is the 4th meeting of the season between the clubs, and none of them have been real close. Tampa won the first two (in Tampa) by scores of 4-1 and 5-2 before Christmas, while the Sens defended home ice to the tune of a 5-1 win less than a month ago.
Like I said following Tuesday's game, moral victories don't mean a lick and good efforts aren't good enough if it doesn't result in 2 points. Getting a good start and not falling behind for a change is paramount to carry over whatever positive vibes might result from the valiant comeback. It would also take a bit of the pressure off Hammond to be perfect from the start against a dangerous Lightning squad.
It will be a battle of two of the premier defensemen in the league, with Erik Karlsson taking on a guy who might just be his partner in September's World Cup of Hockey, as both were named to Sweden's preliminary 16 man roster.
Karlsson was the lone Senator named to the preliminary rosters of the 8 teams. Each team will name 7 more players by June 1st to round out the rosters. Bobby Ryan stands and outside chance of getting onto Team USA (after the perceived snub of 2014) while Cody Ceci could find a spot on the North American roster and Mika Zibanejad could join Karlsson with Sweden. All are in tough and I wouldn't put money on any of the three actually making it, so Karlsson might be alone on that stage when it comes to Senators representatives.