Round 1, Game 3 preview: Ottawa Senators @ Boston Bruins

After a stunning victory on Saturday night, the Ottawa Senators will look to take advantage of a depleted Bruins lineup in tonight's game against in Boston. The Senators looked dead and buried, having lost game one and trailing by two goals in the third period of game two. The overtime victory means the Senators just have to win one of the two games in Boston to reduce it to a best-of-three series with two of the games in Ottawa.

The Senators will be without Mark Borowiecki who was injured in game two. He will be replaced by Ben Harpur, but otherwise it will be the same lineup as Saturday. The Bruins recalled defencemen Tommy Cross and Matt Grzelcyk from Providence of the AHL. Colin Miller is a game time decision and if he cannot go, it will be either Cross or Grzelcyk that play. The Bruins are already without Torey Krug and Adam McQuaid on defence. On the other hand, the Bruins will welcome David Krejci back to the lineup at centre.

Here are the likely lines and pairings for Ottawa.

Hoffman - Smith - Stone
Stålberg - Brassard - Ryan
Dzingel - Turris - Burrows
MacArthur - Pageau - Pyatt

Methot - Karlsson
Phaneuf - Ceci
Harpur - Wideman

Anderson (starter)
Condon

Here are the likely lines and pairings for Boston.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrňák
Stafford - Krejčí - Backes
Schaller - Spooner - Vatrano
Moore - Nash - Acciari

Chára - McAvoy
Morrow - K. Miller
Liles - Cross

Rask (starter)
Khudobin

Some notes for tonight:

• Through two games, Dion Phaneuf leads the Senators in points. Bobby Ryan leads the Senators in shots on goal. Clarke MacArthur has the only power play goal. No one would have predicted any of those things two weeks ago.
• The Senators have outshot the Bruins 56-54 through the first two games. At 5-on-5, Ottawa has outshot Boston 45-43. Can't say Ottawa isn't hanging with Boston so far.
• Both first periods have ended 0-0 so far.
• After doing so well after scoring the first goal in the regular season, Ottawa lost the opener when scoring first and won when conceding first.
• There have been four games in the playoffs when a team has won when trailing after two periods. Two of the four have been in this series.
• NHL teams that start the series with home ice advantage and lead 2-1 after three games have won 75% of the series (205 wins, 69 losses). Could be a big game for the lads tonight!
• Erik Karlsson's play for the 3-3 equaliser has to be one of the most iconic moments in Sens playoff history. Certainly the biggest in the last 10 years in my opinion.
• After two games, Ottawa has 61% of the even strength shot attempts with Karlsson on the ice and 41% with Karlsson on the bench.
• Given the state of the Bruins defence tonight, Ottawa really needs to attack a lot more. The Bruins have dangerous forwards, but if this is a high event game, I like Ottawa's chances for tonight. Of course no NHL coach is ever going to want that in a playoff game.
• Game 5 playoff revenue is now guaranteed for Eugene Melnyk!/