Senators at Lightning
The Ottawa Senators recorded only four victories in 14 games during the first month of last season and never could quite recover as they missed the playoffs. The Senators look to avoid an 0-2-0 start on their three-game road trip to open the 2014-15 campaign when they battle the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. Ottawa gave up three goals in the third period to lose at Nashville on Thursday and the Lightning yielded only 21 shots on goal in their 3-2 overtime victory over Florida.
Senators captain Erik Karlsson was minus-2 in the opener, but the 2012 Norris Trophy winner has seven goals and 17 points in 16 career games against Tampa Bay. Two-time 50-goal scorer Steven Stamkos was held without a point in the opener for the Lightning while defenseman Victor Hedman had the game-winning tally and an assist. Ottawa will have to stay out of the penalty box against Tampa Bay, which scored three times on the power play versus Florida.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportsNet1 (Ottawa), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (0-1-0): Ottawa gave up the second-most shots per game (34.7) a season ago and surrendered 37 to the Predators in the opener, including 14 in the third period. New first-line center Kyle Turris and Alex Chiasson, acquired from Dallas for the former No. 1 pivot Jason Spezza, had goals Thursday in the 3-2 loss as the Senators managed only 11 shots combined in the final two periods. Robin Lehner is expected to make the start in net after Craig Anderson turned aside 34 shots against Nashville.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (1-0-0): Tampa Bay’s No. 1 and 2 lines struggled to create opportunities 5-on-5 in the opener, although top-six forwards Ryan Callahan and Tyler Johnson recorded man-advantage tallies. “I don’t think we played our best,” Hedman told reporters. “But good teams find a way to win and that’s what we did.” Veteran defenseman Eric Brewer was a healthy scratch Thursday in favor of 6-8 Andrej Sustr, who played with Matt Carle, and newcomer Jason Garrison teamed with Radko Gudas on another pair.
OVERTIME
1. Lightning G Ben Bishop, who assisted on the winning goal Thursday, is 4-0-1 in six career starts against the Senators.
2. Ottawa RW Bobby Ryan, who signed a seven-year, $50.75 million extension last week, was held without a shot on goal in the opener.
3. Tampa Bay LW Jonathan Drouin (fractured thumb) is practicing and could play before the end of the season-opening, four-game homestand.