Game 30 preview: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators look to finish off their three game road trip on a positive note when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs in Ottawa tonight. Toronto holds the last playoff spot in the east and are currently 7 points ahead of the Senators. While the are still 52 games left, Ottawa has fallen to 13th out of 16 eastern conference teams. A regulation loss would place them nine points behind Ottawa while a regulation win would bring them to within five. It is pretty close to the season being on the line tonight.

Craig Anderson will start and Matt Kassian could play as well. Here are the lines.

Hoffman - Turris - Ryan
MacArthur - Spezza - Condra
Conacher - Zibanejad - Michalek
Greening / Kassian - Smith - Neil

Methot - Karlsson
Phillips - Corvo
Cowen - Wiercioch

Anderson (starter)
Lehner

Some notes for tonight:

• Robin Lehner hasn't been bad, but he hasn't been great either recently. Craig Anderson will look for a second consecutive solid positive.
• The Senators are 6-2-3 when my good friend Matt Kassian plays.
• Erik Karlsson is without a point in consecutive games for only the second time this season but he was fantastic against Tampa Bay.
• Ottawa has outshot the opposition and won the crucial fancy stats battle in five straight games. They have deserved more than four points in those games.
• Speaking of that, the Leafs have a lot of undeserved points thanks to incredible goaltending. The latest was a 48 save performance from Jonathan Bernier. The Leafs have the worst shot difference in the NHL.
• Phil Kessel has ripped the Sens apart on many occasions. He's currently third in the NHL in shots.

Here are some stats leaders for the two teams tonight.