Game 38 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Florida Panthers
A preview of the game between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers on 7 April 2013.
In the first week of the season, the Ottawa Senators beat the Florida Panthers twice, outscoring them 7-1 and outshooting them 74-57. This was the team that played the last game against them:
Michalek - Spezza - Silfverberg
Latendresse - Turris - Alfredsson
Greening - Smith - Neil
O'Brien - Regin - Condra
Methot - Karlsson
Phillips - Gonchar
Wiercioch - Benoit
And according to Sylvain St-Laurent, this is the team for tonight:
Latendresse - Turris - Alfredsson
Conacher - Zibanejad - Silfverberg
Greening - Smith - Neil
Kassian - Regin - Condra
Wiercioch - Gonchar
Methot - Gryba
Phillips - Benoit
Anderson (starter)
Lehner
Here is the summary: the second line is now the first line. The second line is three rookies (one of them previously on the first line). The third line is still the third line and the fourth line has replaced Jim O'Brien with occasional hockey player Matt Kassian.
On defence, we have lost the best hockey player in the world, and replaced him with Eric Gryba. This has caused every single defensive pairing to do something more than originally expected.
Here are some other talking points for tonight:
- The Senators are coming into the game on a three game losing streak. Still they are playing a Panthers team that is 29th in the NHL. They fell behind 4-0 to the Capitals last night before losing 4-3.
- This game isn't exactly a must-win though. Even if they lose, Ottawa will be four points ahead of Winnipeg and with two games in hand. They will also be five points ahead of 10th place New Jersey. A win is always nice though. Although a New Jersey win later in the night could close the gap to three points with a game in hand for Ottawa.
- Craig Anderson will make his first start in 45 days tonight. He comes into the game with a leading 95.2 save percentage. Thanks to strong goaltending, the club has been able to be patient with Anderson. How will he look tonight?
- Jonathan Huberdeau is currently two points ahead of Cory Conacher for the rookie scoring lead.
- Jakob Silfverberg has 24 more shots than anyone else on the club.
- Zack Smith has the third most even strength ice time on the club among the forwards, behind only Kyle Turris and Daniel Alfredsson.
Here are some stats for the players playing tonight:
| NAME | GP | 5-on-5 TOI/60 | Corsi Rel QoC | Corsi Relative | Off Zone Start % |
| Methot | 36 | 18.29 | 1.093 | -3.4 | 51.7 |
| Gryba | 23 | 17.97 | 1.434 | -19.8 | 48.6 |
| Gonchar | 34 | 17.24 | 0.084 | -2.2 | 53.2 |
| Phillips | 37 | 15.96 | 0.155 | -5.2 | 51.6 |
| Benoit | 29 | 13.8 | -0.954 | 7.3 | 55.1 |
| Wiercioch | 33 | 12.88 | -0.942 | 12.3 | 59.7 |
| NAME | GP | 5-on-5 TOI/60 | Corsi Rel QoC | Corsi Relative | Off Zone Start % |
| Turris | 37 | 14.86 | 0.575 | -3.6 | 52 |
| Alfredsson | 36 | 14.16 | 0.054 | 3.1 | 53.8 |
| Smith | 37 | 13.92 | 0.909 | -4.4 | 48.9 |
| Silfverberg | 37 | 13.34 | 0.432 | 2.2 | 59.7 |
| Latendresse | 18 | 13.19 | 0.747 | -5.7 | 54 |
| Greening | 36 | 12.82 | 0.33 | -3.4 | 53.9 |
| Neil | 37 | 12.48 | 0.808 | 0.7 | 48.3 |
| Conacher | 36 | 11.98 | 0.224 | 1.5 | 55.2 |
| Zibanejad | 31 | 11.14 | -0.281 | 8.7 | 63.7 |
| Condra | 37 | 10.98 | -0.384 | 9.7 | 53.6 |
| Regin | 25 | 9.27 | -0.327 | 2.2 | 50.4 |
| Kassian | 10 | 5.7 | -1.733 | 8.9 | 56.8 |