Slumping Senators hope to bounce back against hot Capitals
OTTAWA -- The sagging Ottawa Senators suffered another loss and another big injury on Friday night.
Already without No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson (concussion), the Senators watched second-year defenseman Thomas Chabot head to the dressing room in the second period of their 6-3 road defeat at the hands of the New York Islanders. Chabot, who has 38 points in 38 games, appeared to be favoring his shoulder after a questionable hit from winger Matt Martin.
Coach Guy Boucher said Chabot won't play when the Senators (15-19-4) try to stop a three-game losing streak in a home game against the Washington Capitals at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday.
The Senators, who are now just a point from the NHL basement, showed their frustrations with four fights late in the third period, including a bout between defenseman Mark Borowiecki and Martin.
"It's a message to us, we have to send messages to ourselves in here," Borowiecki told the Ottawa Sun of the scrap. "You've got to man up sometimes and give the you-know-what's a squeeze, and you've got to make sure we're there for each other and for ourselves and show a little bit of pride. It's not acceptable. We're not happy about it, but we're not going to roll over and let stuff like that happen."
Journeyman Senators goalie Mike McKenna made 33 saves in Friday's loss and could get thrown right back into action against the Capitals. Boucher's other option is to give rookie Marcus Hogberg his first NHL start.
McKenna gave up four goals on 33 shots when the Senators hosted the Capitals last Saturday and lost 4-0.
Meanwhile, the Capitals (23-10-3) are on a roll. They returned from the Christmas break to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 on Thursday. It was their third consecutive victory and eighth in their last nine games.
Washington has gone through some injury problems of its own. Especially along the blue line. Matt Niskanen, a top four defenseman, went hard into the boards on Thursday and he is expected to miss the meeting with the Senators. So is veteran blue liner Brooks Orpik, who has missed the last 26 games with a knee injury. Also out indefinitely after surgery on his thigh is defenseman Christian Djoos.
In their place, the Capitals have relied on 21-year-old Jonas Siegenthaler, who has played 11 NHL games; 24-year-old rookie Tyler Lewington, who made his debut last week, and Madison Bowey, a 23-year-old in his second season who will likely assume Niskanen's minutes.
"We've been able to see our young players and how they're developing," Capitals coach Todd Reirden told the Washington Post. "And that's what it's all about. You can have them play in the American (Hockey) League and you can have them watch video and practice and all those types of things, but until they get into NHL game action, there's nothing that compares to it.
"We were able to see Lewington do that. I thought he handled himself real nicely. And Siegenthaler continues to do real well, and Bowey continues to make strides also."
