The Ottawa Senators (9-6-4) return to action Thursday night in Anaheim, kicking off one of the longest and most demanding stretches of their season. After four full days between games, the Senators will now begin a seven-game, 13-day road trip that spans California, Nevada, Missouri, Texas, and Quebec before they finally return home in early December.
Ottawa hasn’t played since Saturday, giving them a chance to rest up before their travelling road show opens at Honda Centre on Thursday.
Advertisement
The Road Ahead: 7 Games in 13 Days
Nov. 20 – at Anaheim Ducks – 10:00 p.m.
Nov. 22 – at San Jose Sharks – 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 24 – at Los Angeles Kings – 9:00 p.m.
Nov. 26 – at Vegas Golden Knights – 10:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 – at St. Louis Blues – 4:00 p.m.
Nov. 30 – at Dallas Stars – 6:00 p.m.
Dec. 2 – at Montreal Canadiens – 7:00 p.m.
Through three time zones and faceoff times all over the map, they finally return home on Dec. 4 to face the New York Rangers. The Senators will be fine if they can pull at least 7 points out of this trip. Anything less could be damaging in the very tight Atlantic Division.
Image credit: NHL.com (standings as of Nov. 20)
As reported by Senators’ host Jackson Starr, here’s how Ottawa lined up at practice on Wednesday:
Advertisement
Forwards
Perron – Stützle – Batherson
Greig – Cozens – Zetterlund
Amadio – Pinto – Giroux
Cousins – Halliday – Hodgson
Defence
Sanderson – Zub
Kleven – Spence
Matinpalo – Jensen
Goalies
Ullmark
Meriläinen
Senators in the Halliday Spirit
When the Senators called up Stephen Halliday on Tuesday, it looked like he might just be along to be a spare in case of injury. But it turns out that Lars Eller isn’t fully healthy and isn’t expected to play on Thursday, so that might open the door for Halliday, Belleville’s leading scorer, to make his NHL debut. He took Eller’s usual spot on the fourth line on Wednesday.
Advertisement
Sens Give Thanks For Probable Tkachuk Return Next Week
On this week’s Wingmen podcast, captain Brady Tkachuk shed more light on his recovery from last month’s thumb surgery. The Senators’ captain revealed he hopes to rejoin the lineup about a week into the road trip and says he’s targeting “hopefully, around Thanksgiving.” Either way, the Sens will be in St. Louis for Thanksgiving Day, so Tkachuk will get to enjoy some holiday family time in the city he grew up in.
That would fall between the Vegas and St. Louis stops, and the captain’s return would be a significant boost to a lineup that’s hung in nicely without him.
What’s Up, Ducks?
While the Senators were resting this week, the Ducks were busy doing them a favour on Wednesday night. Lukas Dostal made 36 saves for the Ducks (13-6-1) in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins.
Advertisement
Anaheim has now won six straight at home, and enters Thursday’s matchup surging under new head coach Joel Quenneville, who guided the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups and has also stepped into an ideal situation with a Ducks team that was ready to take flight. They’ve spent years collecting elite young talent during their rebuild, and now they lead the Pacific Division.
The Ducks’ top six is particularly ridiculous with a pair of budding young Swedish superstars in Leo Carlsson, 20, and Cutter Gauthier, 21, leading the way. The duo has combined for 23 goals and 50 points in the first 20 games. Then you have Carp’s Mason MacTavish, rejuvenated bull-in-a-china-shop Chris Kreider, and Troy Terry, who’s over a point per game.
Anaheim’s Lineup at Wednesday morning skate (via Ducks reporter Zach Cavanagh)
Forwards
Advertisement
Kreider – Carlsson – Terry
Gauthier – McTavish – Sennecke
Vatrano – Strome – Killorn
Johnston – Harkins – Nesterenko
Defence
LaCombe – Helleson
Zellweger – Trouba
Moore – Gudas
Goalies
Dostál
Mrázek
With Dostal getting the win in Boston on Wednesday, it’s a good bet that former Ottawa 67 Petr Mrazek will start for the Ducks. Face off is at 10 pm.
Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Read more Ottawa Senators articles at The Hockey News Ottawa:
Former Senators Defenseman Returns To Ottawa In Monday Trade With Philadelphia
Arthur Kaliyev Heating Up, Now Third In AHL Goal Scoring
Forsberg Returns To Ottawa As A King, Pitches A Shutout
Senators Have Big UFA Contract Decisions In Next Few Years (Who Stays And Who Goes?)
Four More Years: Shane Pinto Signs Four-Year Extension
Creator Of ‘New Heights’ Gives Brady And Matthew Tkachuk Their Own Podcast
