Bruins, Sens tilt could be playoff preview (Mar 06, 2017)
OTTAWA -- Now in their 25th season, the Ottawa Senators have qualified for the playoffs 15 times and faced 10 different Eastern Conference opponents.
The Boston Bruins are not one of them.
In what's looking more and more like a first-round matchup, the Senators (35-22-6) host the Bruins (34-25-8) at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday night.
If so, it's a game that could help determine home-ice advantage in a best-of-seven series between the teams.
Along with being two points up on the Bruins in the Atlantic Division standings, the second-place Senators have two games in hand. The Senators also own a 4-1-0 record against Boston over the past two seasons, including a 3-1 victory in Ottawa on Nov. 24.
Both teams have received boosts from recent changes, including their trade deadline acquisitions. Alex Burrows, obtained in a deal with the Vancouver Canucks, scored twice in his first game, a 2-1 win over Carolina. Viktor Stalberg, who the Senators also acquired prior to the deadline, netted a goal in his second game with Ottawa, Saturday's 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"We're playing really solid defensively," said Stalberg, who has joined the penalty killing unit and settled onto the fourth line, with Chris Kelly and Tommy Wingels. "It's a team that's built for the playoffs and we can do some damage if we get in. We've got to make sure we keep working hard to make sure we do."
Coach Guy Boucher says he has "loved" what the bottom six forwards have given him in the last two wins. Previously, it was a team sore spot.
"What I like, the last 10, 15 minutes of the game now, our players have so much juice," said Boucher. "It's good to see guys are playing different roles and can focus on the roles they're asked to play, not have to do two or three different things in the same two, three minutes that follow.
"It's really good to manage. Certainly, love those trades."
The Bruins are also pleased with their addition of veteran winger Drew Stafford before the deadline. The former Winnipeg Jet set up the deciding goal in his debut, a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. Stafford had seven shots and a goal that was disallowed because of goalie interference.
The victory improved the Bruins record to 8-2-0 under interim coach Bruce Cassidy.
"I think in the last 10 games, we've shown a lot of resilience," Cassidy, who is from Ottawa and was a star defenseman for the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa 67's in the 1980s, told the Boston Herald. "When we get scored on or something doesn't go our way, they keep their nose to the grindstone and get after it. We don't get into lulls for too long. That's important because you're not always going to have the momentum, but the quicker you get it back, the better off you are."
The Bruins were relieved to avoid the loss of defenseman Adam McQuaid, who took 25 stitches in the throat after being cut by the skate blade of teammate David Backes.
McQuaid did not practice Sunday but has been cleared to play against Ottawa. He admitted he initially felt a bit of panic following the incident.
"But when you don't see blood spraying, I guess you think you're all right.," McQuaid told the Herald. "It was definitely a really close call and I can't help but thank God that it wasn't a scarier situation than it could have been."