Game 26 preview: Vancouver Canucks @ Ottawa Senators

After a 2-1 road trip, the Ottawa Senators will return home tonight to host the Vancouver Canucks. Having won only 10 of their first 25 games, the Senators currently sit six point out of a playoff spot. The Canucks are also struggling with 12 wins in 26 games, and they are 5 points out of the last playoff spot in the west.

After struggling pretty much from the start of the season with little improvement, Jared Cowen will finally be a healthy scratch. Patrick Wiercioch will also sit tonight and Craig Anderson will surprisingly start for the second consecutive night.

Here are the lines for tonight:

Ottawa

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

Methot - Karlsson
Phillips - Corvo
Borowiecki - Gryba

Anderson (starter)
Lehner

Some talking points for tonight:

• The Senators have 1 win in 10 games against the western conference. That's the second worst record against the west in the NHL after Edmonton.
• Ottawa is 7th in the NHL in goals. At least that isn't a problem.
• Craig Anderson meanwhile has been under 88% in six of his last eight games and under 90% in eight of his 16 games. Robin Lehner by contrast has yet to have a single game under 90%. After another mediocre game, Anderson surprisingly gets the start in a back-to-back. Anderson's struggles have only compounded the struggles of the defence so far this season.
• Erik Karlsson is pretty far ahead of other defencemen in offensive stats, so let's look at his totals among all players. He's tied for ninth in points and fifth in assists. A big night could see him move into the top 5 in the NHL in scoring. He's also second in the NHL in total ice time, even strength ice time and power play ice time.
• Bobby Ryan is also among the leaders, ranking fifth in the league in goals, 14th in points and 7th in even strength points.
• Patrick Wiercioch can't seem to stay in the lineup for long, but he's seventh on the team in scoring in just 17 games.
• We finally get to see this team without Jared Cowen. While he isn't the only problem with this team, I do think he is the biggest problem with the team.

Here are some stats leaders for the two teams tonight.