Canadiens at Senators
The Ottawa Senators continue their five-game homestand by hosting the rival Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. The Senators and Canadiens split the first two games of their season series with the home team winning 4-1 in each meeting, but the two clubs are on very different trajectories in the standings. Montreal leads the Atlantic Division, while Ottawa’s playoff chances are heading toward becoming a mathematical impossibility.
Montreal is riding a six-game point streak (5-0-1) after its 2-0 victory over Detroit on Monday and has not suffered a road loss since falling to Ottawa on Jan. 15. The Senators have one win in five February home games (1-3-1) and are on their third-string goaltender Andrew Hammond, who will make his first career start following injuries to Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner. Dustin Tokarski will be in net for the Canadiens after also facing Ottawa last month.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, RDS
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (37-15-4): Tomas Plekanec has two goals and three assists on a four-game point streak. Sergei Gonchar is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, allowing fellow defenseman Tom Gilbert to get back into the lineup Monday after spending a game as a healthy scratch. Rookie forward Jiri Sekac has been a healthy scratch for two games after recording one assist in 15 contests.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (22-23-10): Lehner was injured in a collision with teammate Clarke MacArthur in Monday's 6-3 setback to Carolina, and the latter will also miss Wednesday’s game. Marc Methot signed a four-year, $19.6 million contract extension Monday, ending any trade speculation surrounding the veteran defenseman. Shane Prince recorded an assist in his NHL debut versus the Hurricanes.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal is a division-best 17-8-1 on the road.
2. Ottawa recalled G Chris Driedger from the ECHL to back up Hammond.
3. The Canadiens and Senators wrap up their four-game season series March 12 at Montreal.