Hurricanes at Senators
The Ottawa Senators are emerging from a lengthy offensive slumber - relatively speaking - as they prepare to go for their third straight victory when the Carolina Hurricanes pay a visit on Saturday night. The Senators went a dozen games without scoring more than two goals before back-to-back victories over Montreal (4-3) and Boston (3-1).
With eight of its 12 games in November decided by one goal, Ottawa is gaining a comfort level from playing in tight contests. "We've done it enough times where it doesn't faze us anymore," veteran goaltender Craig Anderson (10-4-1) told reporters. "We're becoming a more resilient group ... we just play our way, the way we're supposed to whether we're up a goal or down a goal. I think we've grown here since the start of the year." The Hurricanes are familiar with that style, playing four one-goal decisions in their last five entering the finale of their three-game Canadian road trip. Carolina had its five-game winning streak snapped in a 2-1 loss at Atlantic Division-leading Montreal on Thursday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Carolina, CITY (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (8-7-4): Goaltender Cam Ward has made eight consecutive starts with backup Eddie Lack dealing with a concussion and has allowed more than two goals once in 10 outings during November. Ward owns a 15-7-3 record and 2.37 goals-against average against the Senators, but he was on the losing end of a 2-1 overtime decision in Ottawa on Nov. 1. Forward Elias Lindholm, who failed to score in the first 16 games this season, has two goals in his past three contests.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (12-7-1): Ottawa had not scored at least three goals in consecutive contests since the first two games of the season and forward Mark Stone is providing the offensive spark. Stone has goals in back-to-back games and has scored four times in the last seven after netting just one in his first 12 this season. The Senators continue to sputter with the man advantage, converting on 3-of-40 chances over the past 13 games.
OVERTIME
1. Hurricanes F Victor Rask has four goals in his last seven games, but none in six meetings with the Senators.
2. Stone has four goals in eight games against Ottawa.
3. Carolina has killed off all 24 short-handed situations this month.