For the third game in a row, the Senators will play an opponent coming off a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The previous two didn't go so well for the Senators, as both Nashville and Florida came in smarting after being on the wrong side of decisive scores and took it out on the Senators on the scoreboard. Maybe the third time is a charm because the Montreal Canadiens beat the Leafs 2-1 on Saturday night so they will not have the embarrassment of losing to the Blue and White to make up for in this one.
The Senators have bigger concerns than losing a fringe NHLer (hence the rather facetious headline) to waivers as they look forward to two important divisional games this week where they will likely see two of the best goalies in the league so far this season.
The Senators offensive struggles continue, and it won't get any easier for them as they will be staring down the league's best goaltender, Carey Price in Montreal on Tuesday night. Price is 11-0-1 in 12 starts this season and is 3rd in the league in both Goals against average (1.58) and save percentage (.950). Couple that with the fact that he has only allowed more than 2 goals twice in twelve starts and the pressure turns to Craig Anderson to match his counterpart save for save because the trend is that he won't be getting much goal support on a good night, and even less expected against Price.
The Senators expect to have Mike Hoffman back in the lineup after missing the last two games, and Bobby Ryan is questionable but could need a little more time to let the finger injury he sustained on Saturday night heal to the point where its effect is minimal.
Ottawa can't complain too much about their overall performance on the ice on Saturday, but can't use the excuse of running into a hot goalie every night for their lack of finish. Yes, Roberto Luongo stood on his head but there weren't that many shots from in close or ones that he had to fight through a screen to see. Guy Boucher wants the dirty goals, and for the most part he isn't getting them. At the other end, with nine goals against in the last two games, all of a sudden the defense and goaltending that was masking the lack of offense for most of the month of November has suddenly gone AWOL, and that is a bad combination.
They need to find the answer, and soon, because they have now slipped out of a playoff spot (on a tiebreaker) and once that happens and there gets to be any sort of separation created, it is incredibly tough to claw your way back in.