Pens, Sens jockeying for playoff seeding (Mar 23, 2017)
OTTAWA -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Ottawa Senators will be out to challenge for first place in their divisions on Thursday when they meet at the Canadian Tire Centre.
The Penguins clinched a playoff berth for the 11th straight season with a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday and moved to within a point of the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals. The Penguins are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Senators ended a four-game losing streak (0-2-2) with a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday and are three points behind the Montreal Canadiens for first place in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand.
The Senators are five points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who defeated the Blue Jackets 5-2 on Wednesday, for second place in the Atlantic Division.
The Penguins will be without top-line forward Jake Guentzel, who sustained a concussion at 8:46 of the first period on a hit by Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Ristolainen was assessed a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct and will have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety on Thursday.
"Hopefully it won't be too long," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told NHL.com of Guentzel's absence. "I think all of them (concussions) are different, so it's not something that, at least at this point, we're hopeful it won't be an extended period of time, but we'll wait and see."
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is on a three-game goal scoring streak in which he has scored six goals, the last of which against the Sabres is a candidate for goal of the year. Crosby cut through the Sabres defense and scored with a one-handed backhand.
"Not many guys can shoot it with one hand, so I don't think anybody (expects it)," Penguins forward Chris Kunitz told NHL.com. "He's always been lethal with two hands on his stick, but now with one hand over the goalie, it works too."
The Senators are expected to be without top forward Mark Stone, who has missed six games with a lower-body injury. He has resumed skating, Senators coach Guy Boucher said. The Senators are 2-2-2 in his absence.
Senators goaltender Craig Anderson has started three straight games (1-1-1) since returning from a lower body injury. If he plays Thursday, it will be the 500th game of his NHL career.
He played brilliantly against the Bruins, making 34 saves.
"It was definitely one for the ages," Anderson told Postmedia. "It was a physical battle with guys going back and forth after the whistles. It was one of those games where both teams were fighting for the playoff lives, and that just made for a hard, gritty game."
Kyle Turris scored twice for the Senators in the win against the Bruins and has three goals in his past four games.
"Anytime you can stop a streak like that and get back in the win column and start going the other way is important," Turris told Postmedia.
"You let those go for too long and you start doubting things and guys start tightening up. It's nice that we were able to finish that off tonight."
Including the game against the Penguins, the Senators have three home games left and seven on the road.
