Senators at Blue Jackets
The Ottawa Senators could enjoy a bit of "Hamburglar" helper when they invade Nationwide Arena to face the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. Andrew Hammond, who authored one of the feel-good stories of 2014-15, may be in line to pen another chapter now that his groin injury appears to be in his rear-view mirror.
"We started slow then kind of ramped it up, and the last two days have kind of been full go," said the 27-year-old Hammond, who attempts to recapture the magic of his sizzling 20-1-2 run from last season. "I think we're at a point now I feel good, there's no pain. We're all good at this point." The Blue Jackets are anything but good at this point, as a porous finish and horrific start doomed a home-and-home set with the Metropolitan Division-rival New York Rangers before the team dropped a 4-2 decision to Buffalo. While captain Nick Foligno labeled Columbus' performance as "unacceptable," center Ryan Johansen did his best not to overreact. "In sports, it's never going to be all rainbows and butterflies," Johansen said.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, RSN (Ottawa), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (2-1-0): Dave Cameron didn't take too kindly to the effort displayed by his team in its 3-1 home-opening setback to Montreal on Sunday. "We weren't hard enough on pucks, right through the 12 forwards that were dressed," Cameron told reporters. "We talk all the time about if we're going to establish ourselves as any kind of team that's tough to play against, you have to go through pucks, not around them." Kyle Turris leads the team with three goals and shares top honors in points with Mark Stone, but has failed to score in 12 meetings with the Blue Jackets.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (0-3-0): General manager Jarmo Kekalainen is stunned at the rapid decline of his team following a strong training camp. "I'm surprised how, in just five days, we've gone from a very confident group to something that's the opposite of that," Kekalainen told the Columbus Dispatch. The Blue Jackets traditionally have been slow starters, as they dropped 12 of their first 16 games in the lockout-shorted 2012-13 season before losing seven of 12 the following campaign and seven of 11 in 2014-15.
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa LW Clarke MacArthur has yet to record a point this season, but has five goals and eight points in 11 meetings with Columbus.
2. Blue Jackets LW Brandon Saad has scored twice in his first three games while paired with Johansen on the team's top line.
3. Senators RW Bobby Ryan has recorded 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 26 contests versus Columbus.