Game 79 Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Ottawa Senators

Tonight’s game will be an uphill battle for the Ottawa Senators, as they face the President’s Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning. This edition of the Lightning may very well be the best team in the NHL’s salary cap era... the Sens are a long ways away from that, to say the least.

Ottawa’s lineup will be the same as from Saturday’s game against Toronto. Craig Anderson will get the start tonight, with Andrei Vasilevskiy on the other end.

Game Notes

• A win tonight for Tampa Bay would bring them to 60 wins — the first 60+ season since the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings had 62. With four games left, there’s a chance they break that, which would make them the winningest team in NHL history.
• The Sens, meanwhile, could possibly clinch last place in the NHL tonight. For that to happen, it would require a regulation loss for Ottawa, plus a point for the New Jersey Devils and two points for the LA Kings.
• Anderson’s start tonight will mark his 400th game in a Sens uniform. Having it happen against the Lightning may not be the best present, although he’s already blown past the franchise records for goalies in games played and wins.
• It’s April Fools Day, and the Lightning’s SB Nation blog, Raw Charge, has certainly embraced it.
• Game time is 7:30pm, and will be broadcast on TSN5 and RDS.

Here are some stats from NHL.com and Natural Stat Trick.