Game 52 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Carolina Hurricanes

The Ottawa Senators will look to keep pace in the eastern conference playoff race when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes this afternoon. The Senators are coming off a shootout loss in Tampa Bay and has lost three of its last four games, although two of those have been in overtime. The Hurricanes have also lost three of its last four, with all the losses coming in regulation. Carolina is currently a point behind Ottawa with a game in hand.

Marc Methot will return to the lineup with Matt Kassian, Joe Corvo and Patrick Wiercioch the healthy scratches. Robin Lehner will start. Here are the lines.

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

Cowen/Methot - Karlsson
Phillips - Ceci
Cowen/Methot - Gryba

Lehner (starter)
Anderson

Some notes for today:

• Erik Karlsson played a career regular season high of 34:45 against Tampa Bay. In the last 27 games, the Senators have 57.4% of the 5-on-5 shot attempts with Karlsson on the ice and 52.9% with Karlsson off the ice. Both are very good but one is spectacular.
• Clarke MacArthur is tied with Bobby Ryan for second in team points and is only one behind Ryan for the goal scoring lead.
• Jason Spezza recorded his first multi-point game since 9 December. He had gone 15 games without multiple points in the same game, scoring just three goals and three assists in that span.
• Robin Lehner hasn't allowed a goal since 27 December. That is slightly less impressive when considering that he has played only one game since then. Craig Anderson has been decent in 10 games since then, stopping 91.6 of shots since then.
• The Senators have scored only 37 goals in 16 games started by Robin Lehner and incredibly only 13 goals in the last eight games started by Lehner.
• Zack Smith has more shots on goal than Clarke MacArthur.
• Karlsson has 49 points in 51 games. The other eight defencemen to play for the club this season have combined for 73 points in 255 games.
• Alexander Semin is on fire for the Hurricanes, scoring six goals in his last four games.

Here are some stats leaders for the two teams tonight.