Senators at Avalanche
Former third overall draft pick Matt Duchene returns to the place where he began his career and requested a trade, when the Ottawa Senators visit the Colorado Avalanche to open a three-game road trip Friday night. Duchene was dealt to Ottawa in a three-team deal almost a year ago and faced his former team twice since, but both contests were part of the NHL Global Series in Sweden.
“I loved playing in front of the fans there, loved being an Av,” Duchene, who has eight points in the first eight games this season, told NHL.com. “It was something that was a dream come true to play for my favorite team. It’s going to be fun to be back there. There’ll be some nerves and anxiety, but once I get on the ice and just play hockey it should be a little bit easier.” The Senators won both those games in Sweden and own four victories in a row against Colorado, which has posted points in eight of 10 games to start the season. “I’m sure (Duchene will) be excited,” Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson told the Denver Post. “For us it’s just any other game. Points are at a premium. It doesn’t really matter who you play.” Colorado saw its six-game point streak come to an end Wednesday with a 1-0 loss to Stanley Cup favorite Tampa Bay at home and captain Gabriel Landeskog told reporters, “We can compete with the best teams in the league. I think we’ve shown that we belong in the top group this year.”
TV: 9 p.m. ET, RDS2, TSN5 (Ottawa), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (4-3-1): Defenseman Thomas Chabot had a goal in Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Boston and leads the team with 10 points while center Chris Tierney was kept off the scoresheet for the first time to remain at nine. Cody Ceci (upper-body) could return to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 10 while the status of fellow defensemen Ben Harpur (undisclosed, questionable) and Mark Borowiecki (one-game suspension) caused Ottawa to recall blue-liner Christian Wolanin. Right wing Mark Stone is tied with defenseman Maxime Lajoie for the team lead with four goals after scoring three times in four games to bring his career total to 99.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (6-2-2): Colorado managed 22 shots against Tampa Bay - 11 in the first period - and had a goal reversed on video review before falling for the first time in regulation since Oct. 9. The top line of Mikko Rantanen (team-best 16 points), Nathan MacKinnon (eight goals, 15 points) and Landeskog (eight goals, plus-12 rating) recorded seven shots in the setback and have been one of the highest scoring units in the league. Coach Jared Bednar told reporters that backup Philipp Grubauer (2-1-0, .925 save percentage) would get the start Friday after No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov stopped 60 of 62 shots in the last two contests.
OVERTIME
1. Johnson boasts five assists and a plus-8 rating while leading the team in ice time per game (22:07).
2. Ottawa RW Bobby Ryan has registered an assist in three consecutive games.
3. The Avalanche entered Thursday third in the league on the penalty kill (88.9 percent) with the Senators at 26th (71.4).