Round One, Game Six preview: Canadiens de Montréal @ Ottawa Senators

It looked a long way away a few days ago, but tonight the Ottawa Senators have a chance to win at home and even their first round playoff series with the Canadiens at 3-3. Ottawa jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on Friday, the first time anyone has led by more than a goal this series and ended up winning pretty comfortably by a 5-1 scoreline. Tonight they will have their own fans behind them and a chance to amp up the pressure on the Canadiens even more.

Clarke MacArthur and Jean-Gabriel Pageau were banged up on Friday, but both are expected to play. There are expected to be no changes. Here are the lines and pairings for the Senators.

MacArthur - Turris - Stone
Hoffman - Zibanejad - Ryan
Condra - Pageau - Lazar
Michalek - Smith - Chiasson

Methot - Karlsson
Wiercioch - Ceci
Borowiecki - Gryba

Anderson (starter)
Hammond

Some notes for tonight:

• Craig Anderson hasn't allowed a goal in the first two periods of any of his three starts in this series. Ottawa has scored the first goal in every game.
• These three home games must have been a solid $4 to $5 million in unexpected profit for Eugene Melnyk, to keep the important things in mind.
• During 5-on-5 play this series, Ottawa has 52.3% of the shot attempts when the game is tied, 43.6% when leading by one goal, 53.7% when trailing by a goal and 38.4% when leading by two or more. Ottawa has never trailed by more than a goal in this series.
• Per @sens_adnan, the Senators have led for 128:15 this series while the Habs have led for 43:00.
• The bottom pairing continued to get destroyed. The Senators had 44% (20 for, 25 against) of the even strength shot attempts with Methot and Karlsson on, 58% (14 for, 10 against) with Wiercioch and Ceci on, and 33% (9 for, 18 against) with Borowiecki and Gryba on.
• Who would have thought Patrick Wiercioch would be tied for the team goals and points lead after four games?
• Having witnessed games 3 and 4 in person, I am very jealous of anyone going to the game tonight. We may not always have the best atmosphere, but in big games, that building is absolutely rocking.
• Let's win three!/