Heated NHL rivals to resume hostilities
Sens have to find a way to stop Giroux, says Bruce Garrioch.
The last time the Senators and Flyers met on Dec. 7 in Philadelphia, there was no shortage of bad blood.
So upset was Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk with Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton chirping at the Senators’ bench after scoring that he went after him in the final minute of the game.
The result: Tkachuk was fined US$2,400 for cross-checking Laughton. This time, the focus should be on shutting down the Flyers. Stopping their top gun, Claude Giroux, will be key.
Here are five things to watch for when the Flyers (19-11-5) line up against the Senators (15-18-3) in Ottawa on Saturday:
1.
Keep winning at home
With their 5-4 overtime victory over Nashville on Thursday, the Senators have improved their record to 10-5-0 at Canadian Tire Centre. The club will play twice more on home ice heading into the Christmas break, so it can continue building its confidence with a couple of wins. For the most part, the Senators were full marks for the win over Nashville.
2.
Keep the PP rolling
The Senators scored two power play goals — including the game-winner from Anthony Duclair — against the Predators, and that’s a huge step in the right direction. The Senators have struggled with the man advantage this year, and they need to show greater consistency. Another big night on the power play would certainly go a long way in that regard.
3.
Consistency from White
Lost in the dramatic win was the fact Colin White scored his third goal of the season, going upstairs on Nashville goalie Juuse Saros in the second period to end an 18-game slump. White has the abilities to become a consistent scorer in the NHL, as we’ve seen before. He’s put a lot of pressure on himself this year to score, so maybe this is another step in the right direction.
4.
Chabot sure does play a lot
Coming off a night in which he logged 37:50 of ice time against the Lightning, Thomas Chabot saw 33:49 of action against the Predators. That’s the way it’s going to be for a while, especially with injuries on the Ottawa blue-line. The Sens are without veteran defenceman Ron Hainsey (knee) for the next seven to 10 days, as well as Dylan Demelo (broken finger), Nikita Zaitsev (foot) and prospect Christian Wolanin (shoulder). The 22-year-old wouldn’t be getting the ice time if he couldn’t handle it, so it might be time to find something else to talk about. He’s a key contributor. That’s why he plays so much.
5.
Next up in net
Craig Anderson is ready to return from a knee injury, so the expectation is that he’ll make the start. While Marcus Hogberg was good against the Predators in getting his first NHL win, the Senators need to lean on their top puck stopper. Anderson may play both home games before the break