Game 22 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Colorado Avalanche

The Ottawa Senators will look for their fourth straight win when they visit the Colorado Avalanche tonight. Despite getting only 19 shots on goal, the Senators scored seven goals in a 7-4 win against Dallas. While the team has not played too well this year, they have ridden Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman, Kyle Turris and Mark Stone (also with contributions from Bobby Ryan, Mika Zibanejad and Craig Anderson) to an 11-5-5 record. The Senators are sixth in points, seventh in points per game, fourth in goals scored per game. The Senators have also been outshot by 6.2 shots per game on average, which is by far the worst in the NHL.

Craig Anderson will start yet again and there are not expected to be any changes. Here is the team that played last night.

Hoffman - Turris - Ryan
Prince - Zibanejad - Stone
Michalek - Pageau - Chiasson
Lazar - Smith - Neil

Methot - Karlsson
Cowen - Ceci
Borowiecki - Wideman

Anderson (starter)
Driedger

Some notes for tonight:

• Erik Karlsson's 23 points are sixth in the NHL and first in the eastern conference. He has points in seven straight games.
• The Senators last two road games have resulted in 23 goals: a 7-5 loss in Nashville and a 7-4 win in Dallas.
• Along with Karlsson at 1.10 points per game, Mike Hoffman is at 1.06 per game and Mark Stone exactly at 1.00 per game.
• The Jared Cowen and Cody Ceci pairing led the club in Corsi percentage last night!
• Only the Canadiens and the Rangers have fewer regulation losses than the Senators.
• Jean-Gabriel Pageau is on pace for 23 goals this season. Three out of his six goals have been while shorthanded.
• The Avalanche are last in their division with 17 points. Given the strength of their division, they really have no hope of making the playoffs with the Blackhawks currently occupying the last playoff spot.
• The Senators have won four games this season by three or more goals with three of those four games happening in Ottawa's last three.
• Ottawa is the only team in the league without a one-goal regulation loss./

Here are some stats for the two teams tonight. All stats are from NHL.com except Corsi and Fenwick are from www.puckon.net. Note that Corsi is now adjusted for score as well as the venue and event type.