Game 10 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Boston Bruins

The Ottawa Senators will briefly go on the road for one game in Boston against the Bruins before returning for four straight at home. The Senators finished October with a 5-2-2 record, sitting level on 12 points with the Bruins, although the Senators have three games in hand.

The Bruins will be without Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug. Their defence will feature three players with less than 10 NHL games played in David Warsofsky (seven games), Zach Trotman (five games) and Joe Morrow (one game). Neither team skated this morning, but here are the expected lines from the Bruins website.

Ottawa

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Michalek - Zibanejad - Chiasson
Smith - Legwand - Neil
Hoffman - Lazar - Stone

Phillips - Karlsson
Cowen - Ceci
Wiercioch - Gryba

Lehner (starter)
Anderson

Boston

Lucic - Krejci - Griffith
Marchand - Bergeron - Smith
Kelly - Soderberg - Eriksson
Paille - Campbell - Gagne

Seidenberg - Hamilton
Morrow - McQuaid
Warsofsky - Trotman

Rask (starter)
Svedberg

Some notes for tonight:

• Tonight will be Curtis Lazar's eighth game. Tuesday's game against Detroit will be the ninth, after which Ottawa will use up the first year of his entry level contract if they choose to continue playing him. If they give him real linemates like Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman, it might be worth it.
• With Marc Methot getting closer to returning from injury, the Senators will have some decisions to make to get under the 23-man roster limit. Mark Borowiecki's injury might help them delay the decision for a bit longer.
• Mika Zibanejad finally broke out against Chicago. After getting no points and just nine shots in his first eight games, Zibanejad had five shots including the tying goal late in the game.
• Erik Karlsson had his worst game of the season, struggling defensively and getting a season-low one shot on goal. But he did help create the game tying goal so there is that.
• Chris Phillips continues to look out of his depth. Methot can't return quick enough. I am not sure if Phillips is an NHL level player, much less one on the top pairing.
• Thursday was the first night Ottawa allowed more than three goals. It was coming.
• I love Clarke MacArthur. He is in great form at the moment isn't he?
• Colin Greening has only played two games this year totally just over 20 minutes of ice time. Wonder if Ottawa would give him away for a conditional seventh if they could be rid of his contract and roster spot.
• Ottawa is undefeated in regulation against the eastern conference, sporting a 4-0-1 record.
• The Senators are barely ahead of the Buffalo Sabres in shots allowed per game. The Sabres are 30th at 36.7 per game while Ottawa is 29th at 36.6.
• Things are going to get very busy for the Senators after this game. They will have two days off before playing seven games in 12 days.