Game 66: Ottawa Senators v. Toronto Maple Leafs
If the Senators still need a wake-up call after the Olympic break, the Leafs should do the trick. They may be in last place in the Eastern Conference, but two of their 19 wins this season have come against Ottawa. For whatever reason--whether it's the Leafs getting extra-motivated, or the Sens taking the night off--it's always competitive between the two teams, so Ottawa can't afford to give Toronto an inch. Some things to watch for:
- The fourth instalment of the ongoing Colton Orr-Matt Carkner fight. Orr's currently taken two of three so far, but you can be sure Carkner would like to even up the score.
- A whole whack of Senators are fighting the flu, including Brian Elliott -- which means Pascal Leclaire will get his second consecutive start. Zack Smith has also been recalled, so a skater will miss the game, too.
- Filip Kuba's still out, so no relief on the blue line: Brian Lee will once again dress for tonight's game.
- The buds have now given reason to their nickname: Toronto's the youngest team in the league. Only one player on today's roster played any second of time for Toronto during the 2007-08 season (Tomas Kaberle); the rest of the team has been completely re-made. Who knows what this means for the rivalry, other than the fact that some of their players will have grown up watching the Battle of Ontario through the late '90s and early 2000s.
As always, join us during the game in the comments section to either celebrate or lament.