Hurricanes at Senators
After beginning the month with just one goal in each of their three losses, the Ottawa Senators have scored 13 times in their next three contests (2-0-1) to keep alive their flickering postseason chances. The Senators look to continue their recent good fortune when they play the third contest of a five-game homestand against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. "We've got five of our last six points and, hopefully, we can turn the corner and get some wins together," said Milan Michalek, who collected two goals and an assist in Ottawa's 7-2 rout of Edmonton on Saturday afternoon.
The Senators have struggled mightily against the Hurricanes, who improved to 12-3-3 in the last 18 meetings with a 3-2 triumph on Jan. 17. Carolina, however, has dropped two in a row and five of its last seven overall following a sizzling 7-1-1 stretch to begin the 2015 calendar year. Jeff Skinner scored for the second straight contest, but the Hurricanes failed to overcome an early three-goal deficit en route to a 6-3 setback to Minnesota on Saturday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, TSN5, RDS2 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (19-28-7): Andrej Nestrasil made an impact while playing left wing for the first time versus the Wild, scoring late in the first period for his third goal in 14 games with Carolina. "Center or right wing is probably my favorite. Left wing probably the least, but I can play there. It's fine," the 24-year-old Nestrasil told the Raleigh News & Observer. Although coach Bill Peters hasn't revealed his hand, Anton Khudobin made 30 saves in the first meeting and is a perfect 5-0-0 with a slim 1.80 goals-against average versus Ottawa.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (22-22-10): Michalek has scored seven goals and set up four others during the last 13 contests after tallying just three times in his first 36. "I feel the same (physically) as always, it’s just the confidence. That’s the big thing in hockey," Michalek said. "It feels like the pucks are coming to me now." Defenseman Cody Ceci scored his fourth goal of the season versus the Oilers and also tallied in the first meeting with the Hurricanes.
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa RW Mark Stone, who tallied in the first meeting with Carolina, has collected one goal and three assists during his three-game point streak.
2. The Hurricanes are 2-for-20 on the power play over their last six games and went 0-for-3 in the first encounter with the Senators.
3. Ottawa is 4-for-8 on the power play over its last three games after failing to score on all 13 opportunities over its previous four contests.