Lightning at Senators
The Ottawa Senators must put together a similar run to last season if they are to reach the playoffs again as they prepare to host the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Senators are 5-1-1 in their last seven contests to pull within five points of the final playoff spot in the East and Tampa Bay has won seven straight games.
Ottawa, which went 16-3-3 over the final two months last season, may have to continue its surge without No. 1 goaltender Craig Anderson after he suffered a lower-body injury in the 4-3 shootout loss to St. Louis on Tuesday. The Lightning have been especially strong in the defensive end, allowing seven goals in the last six games and no power-play tallies in the same span. “It shows you when we’re worrying about our side of the puck that we’re a tough team to beat,” Tampa Bay right wing Ryan Callahan told reporters. “It seems like we’re playing our best hockey when we do that.” Goalie Ben Bishop has played a big part as well, leading the league in goals-against average (2.06) after four straight wins.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), RDS and TSN5 (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (37-22-4): Captain Steven Stamkos saw his six-game goal-scoring streak come to an end in the 2-1 victory at Toronto on Monday, but he has recorded seven in the past 10 contests to lead the team with 28. Nikita Kucherov reached 50 points for the second straight season with an assist Monday and is one point behind Stamkos for the team lead. While steady Jason Garrison returned from the injured list last game, fellow defenseman Andrej Sustr missed practice Wednesday with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (30-27-7): Ottawa recalled goalie Chris Driedger from Binghamton of the American Hockey League to backup Andrew Hammond if Anderson cannot go Thursday. With Kyle Turris (lower body) gone for the season, the Senators signed center Scott Gomez on Wednesday for depth after the veteran scored 24 points in 18 games on a tryout with Hershey of the American Hockey League. Defenseman Erik Karlsson, who has three assists in the last two games, leads all defensemen in the league and the team overall with 68 points.
OVERTIME
1. The Senators knocked off the Lightning 5-1 on Feb. 8 at home after dropping two at Tampa Bay in December.
2. Ottawa RW Mark Stone owns two goals and five assists during a four-game point streak and scored twice last time out against Tampa Bay.
3. Callahan has registered half of his 10 goals on the season in the last eight contests.