Penguins at Senators
THE STORY: The Pittsburgh Penguins can find themselves atop both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference at the end of Saturday's NHL action. The Penguins, who are 13-0-1 in their last 14 games, will visit Canada's capital to face the Ottawa Senators. Should coach Dan Bylsma's club emerge victorious - and New York suffer a regulation loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs - it will move past the Rangers in the standings.
TV: 7 p.m., CBS, ROOT
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (46-21-6): Evgeni Malkin's recent play is certainly bolstering his likely bid for the Hart Trophy. The All-Star, who is riding a six-game point streak, has collected 13 goals and 11 assists during the team's last 14 contests. Malkin tallied twice for the second straight game in Pittsburgh's 5-1 rout of Nashville on Thursday. The Russian has fared well versus Ottawa, netting 10 goals in his last nine meetings.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (37-28-10): Ottawa was sent careening to its third straight loss and fifth in six games when it yielded a natural hat trick to Erik Cole in Friday's 5-1 loss to Montreal. The Senators are now clinging to seventh place, with hard-charging Buffalo and Washington sitting just two points behind them. Craig Anderson returned after spending a month on the sideline with a lacerated pinky finger, but was peppered in the onslaught. Ottawa's schedule doesn't get any easier - with a visit to the MTS Centre to face Winnipeg and a road tilt against Philadelphia on the horizon.
OVERTIME:
1. Pittsburgh's James Neal has certainly been contributing, recording back-to-back four-point efforts. He had four assists versus the Predators.
2. Ottawa has won two of the three meetings versus Pittsburgh.
3. Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is mired in a 12-game goalless drought.