Game 73: Ottawa Senators @ Carolina Hurricanes

The Ottawa Senators head to Raleigh to take on the Carolina Hurricanes tonight. Carolina, still in the hunt for a playoff spot and just three points behind Buffalo for the eighth, are an ugly 2-4-1 in their last seven games, while Ottawa (long out of a playoff spot, but one loss away from being officially eliminated) are 5-2 in their last seven. Still, the 'Canes have won the last six games against the Senators at RBC Center (am I the only one who finds it odd that a building named after the Royal Bank of Canada doesn't use the Canadian spelling?), so they have some positives on their side.

Some players I'll be watching tonight:

• Curtis McElhinney: Still without a loss in a Senators uniform, the London Wonder gets the start tonight. How will he fare against the Hurricanes' shooters?
• Patrick Wiercioch: Had high expectations heading into the season, but took a long time to get used to the pace of pro hockey in the AHL. How will he react to his first-ever NHL game?
• Eric Staal: The captain and leading scorer of the Hurricanes has just two points in his last games, both assists. If Carolina is going to claw back into the playoffs, Staal's production will have to improve.
• Joe Corvo: The Sens killer has five goals and four assists lifetime against Ottawa, but has no points in his last six games overall. Will he be a Sens killer, or a 'Canes zero?