Game 15 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Columbus Blue Jackets

A preview of the game between the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets on 5 November 2013.

The Ottawa Senators will try to end their losing streak of five games when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Despite scoring 12 goals in the last three games, the Senators opponents have been able to repeatedly crack the Senators defence. Jared Cowen in particular has seemed to be in a drunken stupor but will keep his place tonight. Eric Gryba will return in the place of Partick Wiercioch. Robin Lehner will start.

Here are the lines from Sylvain St-Laurent.

MacArthur - Turris - Ryan
Greening - Spezza - Zibanejad
Michalek - Smith - Neil
Kassian - Grant - Conacher

Cowen - Karlsson
Borowiecki - Methot
Phillips - Gryba

Lehner (starter)
Anderson

Some talking points go here:

  • Can the defence hold the Blue Jackets to under 35 shots?
  • Erik Karlsson has been on the ice for all seven goals Ottawa has scored in the last two games. He has also been on the ice for four out of the seven goals against.
  • The Jason Spezza and Chris Neil experiment might be over. Paul MacLean may have done that in a drunken stupor. How will the newly formed second line look tonight?
  • The Senators offence has looked good most of the season. If the defence can get better, this can be a very good team. Can the defence get better though?
  • I still have a few tickets left for the game against the Coyotes on 21 December. They are $39.
  • Sorry for any more typos than usual. This preview was written on my phone. /

Here are some stats leaders for the two teams tonight.

Category Ottawa Columbus
Player # Player #
Goals Bobby Ryan 8 Marian Gaborik 5
Assists Kyle Turris 12 James Wisniewski 9
Points Erik Karlsson 15 Marian Gaborik 10
Shots Erik Karlsson 45 Cam Atkinson 44
Average Ice time Erik Karlsson 27:38 Jack Johnson 23:10

Category Ottawa Columbus
# Rank # Rank
Goals For 3.00 11th 2.46 21st
Goals Against 3.14 27th 2.77 16th
Corsi Close % 50.6% 13th 47.4% 24th
Fenwick Close % 47.8% 22nd 47.0% 24th
Shots For 32.2 6th 30.5 13th
Shots Against 38.5 30th 31.1 20th

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