Key players will be missing when Senators host Rangers (Apr 08, 2017)
OTTAWA -- One team will be playing for home ice advantage in the playoffs and the other will have nothing at stake when the Ottawa Senators host the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.
Neither will be going with its A-squad.
Senators coach Guy Boucher said captain Erik Karlsson is unlikely to play Saturday or Sunday in a road game against the New York Islanders, with Ottawa needing just two points to secure second place in the Atlantic Division and home ice advantage in Round 1.
Karlsson, who is in the running for his third Norris Trophy, has missed three of the last four games with what the team says is two unrelated foot injuries.
"Right now, he needs (time off)," Boucher said. "It's not resting. It's giving him all the time off to recuperate. I highly doubt (he'll play) Saturday, but I'll keep it open because this guy is a machine. He gets the cape on and you never know when he's flying in."
The Rangers will also be without their dinged up captain. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who has missed the three games that followed the March 28 playoff clincher, didn't make the trip to Ottawa.
"I feel really good," McDonagh said to the New York Post. "I'm excited to get back with the group.
"(The time off) has been good for everything. Recharge the mind here, hopefully for a long run, and physically, for sure, letting the body heal up. We have enough time before the playoffs start that we're able to get back out there and feel good on the ice."
The Rangers (47-27-6) are locked into playing the Montreal Canadiens in the opening round. While they are expected to rest other key players against the Senators, coach Alain Vigneault has confirmed that defenseman Taylor Beck, who was called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday, will make his Rangers debut in Ottawa.
The Senators (43-27-10) can still meet the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1. Should the standings remain unchanged, they'll play the Bruins and have home ice advantage against a team they went 4-0 against this season.
"We're doing things the right way," said goalie Craig Anderson, who has allowed just one goal while posting two wins in a row. "We're being team-oriented, goal-oriented. We're not venturing off on our own page and just sticking to it."
First-year Senators GM Pierre Dorion likes the results to date.
"Our first step was to get into the playoffs," he said. "We have to stay the course. We got into the playoffs and hopefully we can make some noise."
Saturday's game will be the first against Ottawa for Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who was acquired in a summertime trade for veteran center Derick Brassard.
Zibanejad, who spent four seasons in Ottawa, has 13 goals and 34 points while being limited to 54 games because of injuries. Brassard has 13 goals and 38 points in 80 games.
