After losses to Anaheim and Chicago, the opposition gets a lot tougher during Ottawa's two-night stay in the Sunshine State.
The Matchup: Ottawa Senators (22-27-2, 46 points, 8th in Atlantic) at Tampa Bay Lightning (30-21-5, 65 points, 4th in Atlantic)
Faceoff: Monday, February 19th, 2024. 7 p.m., (SN, TVAS)
What's Up? The Senators are now effectively in an extended preseason, readying themselves for the 2024-25 campaign.
With the trade deadline two and a half weeks away, GM Steve Staios is evaluating all strengths and weaknesses, and figuring out what's missing from his predecessor's rebuild attempt. At this stage, Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson are probably his only true untouchables.
On the ice, Jacques Martin continues to run what we've billed as Bad Habits Boot Camp, trying to eliminate the incessant cheating, lack of awareness or urgency when the team doesn't have the puck.
These aren't the same dominant Tampa Bay Lightning, who went to six conference finals in eight years, but they're still a playoff team and remain deadly at home. They've lost in regulation only six times in 27 games this season. They also have the NHL's scoring leader, Nikita Kucherov, who's been scoring out of his mind. Kucherov has 94 points in 55 games. Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 49.
The Lightning are 2-1 in their last three games against powerhouses Florida, Boston and Colorado while Ottawa is 1-2 in their last three games against fellow bottom-feeders, Columbus, Anaheim and Chicago. So for the Senators, the pace in the early going may feel like trying to jump on to a moving train.
The Lightning will also be an ornery bunch after getting embarrassed by Florida 9-2 on Saturday.
It would be hard to have a more lopsided special teams matchup than this one. Tampa's power play is crazy good at 30.2%, the number one unit in the league. Ottawa's penalty kill is ranked 30th in the league at 74.2.
The History: The expansion cousins, who entered the league together in 1992-93, have fairly similar all-time records. Tampa Bay: 1112-1021-112-169 (2505 points), Ottawa: 1065-1044-115-186 (2431 points).
But the Lightning have crushed the Sens in playoff success. Tampa Bay: 25-12 in playoff series, eight conference finals, five Cup finals, and three Stanley Cup victories. Ottawa: 11-16 in playoff series, three conference finals, one Cup final.
The 2023-24 versions of the two clubs have split the first two games of the season series.
In October, Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first goal as a Senator in a 5-2 win. Tampa had played the night before and had minor league goalie Matt Tomkins in net. Three weeks later, Kucherov and Brayden Point (hat trick) combined for nine points in a 6-4 Tampa Bay win.
Probable Line Combinations
Ottawa: Anton Forsberg starts in goal. Brady Tkachuk skating with Shane Pinto and Vladimir Tarasenko is a relatively new wrinkle.
Tampa Bay:
Steven Stamkos -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel -- Anthony Cirelli -- Nicholas Paul
Michael Eyssimont -- Tyler Motte -- Conor Sheary
Alex Barre-Boulet -- Luke Glendening -- Mitchell Chaffee
Victor Hedman -- Darren Raddysh
Haydn Fleury -- Erik Cernak
Emil Martinsen Lilleberg -- Nick Perbix
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Former Senator Austin Watson and Carp's Calvin de Haan are expected to be healthy scratches.
The feisty Tanner Jeannot is injured and won't play. One less thorn in Ottawa's side.
The Sens finish their three-game road trip with a game in Florida tomorrow night against a well-rested Panthers team.