Game 16 preview: Ottawa Senators @ New Jersey Devils

The Ottawa Senators will look for their road victory in almost a month when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Family Day this afternoon. After winning their first two road games in Winnipeg and Florida, the Senators have lost five in a row on the road, all in regulation. They are playing a team that is 6-1-1 at home and the Senators will also be without Erik Karlsson. No chance right? Well not quite, it is hockey and things happen in single games.

The Senators will make two changes with Colin Greening and Patrick Wiercioch returning to the lineup. Mika Zibanejad and Andre Benoit will be the healthy scratches. Your guess is as good as mine as to the line combinations and defensive pairings. Ben Bishop will get the start in goal.

Here are a few notes for today:

• The Senators and Maple Leafs played a rather dull game in which the scoring chances were 9-8 for Ottawa on 5-on-5. Sergei Gonchar was on for all eight Toronto scoring chances. Yikes. I have defend him previously, but he is not a top pairing guy. Sadly, he is going to have to be on this team.
• Per Steve Lloyd, the Senators have scored 19 goals in 10 games since Jason Spezza got hurt. Erik Karlsson was on the ice for 13 of those 19.
• Here are some slumps: Kyle Turris hasn't scored in 11 games, Daniel Alfredsson has only one assist and four shots in four games, Zack Smith hasn't scored a goal all season. Jakob Silfverberg continues to get shots but has only two goals and an assist on the season. Chris Neil has one goal and no assists in eight games.
• The Senators can fall out of a playoff spot with a loss and an Islanders win today. No they can't, you suck Adnan.
• Ilya Kovalchuk is on a six-game points scoring streak, with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in that span.