The Ottawa Senators head into Buffalo tonight with a chance to finish their five-game road trip on a high note, and the lineup brings a few interesting wrinkles. After going 1-2-1 through the first four games of the trip and picking up three of a possible eight points, the Senators know these two points matter.
One of the biggest changes is up front, where Sammy Blais is slated to make his regular-season debut for Ottawa. Signed in the offseason, the Montmagny, Québec native brings 278 NHL games of experience, along with 30 goals and 49 assists.
With Warren Foegele, André Burakovsky, and William Eklund out injured, Blais gets his chance to step in and provide some depth. He’s expected to skate on the fourth line with Nick Cousins and Stephen Halliday.
Philip Tomasino is also sticking in the mix, set for his third straight start with the Senators. He’ll begin the night on the second line alongside Shane Pinto and Drake Batherson, the same spot he occupied in the previous game.
Tomasino was brought in for depth as well, but he made an immediate impression with an assist in his first outing. Now the same basic question applies to him and Blais: the opportunity is there, and it’s up to them to hold onto it.
On the back end, Carter Yakemchuk is getting another look. With Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson injured, the rookie had a clearer path into the lineup, but once those regulars returned, he spent the last three games as a healthy scratch while Nikolas Matinpalo stayed in.
Ottawa kept Yakemchuk on the road trip rather than sending him back to Belleville, and tonight he gets another shot because Kleven is out with illness. In 13 games, Yakemchuk has one goal and two assists.
In goal, Samuel Ersson gets the start for Ottawa. His first few appearances were uneven, but he looked much more settled in his last outing on October 31 in San Jose, stopping 22 of 23 shots in a 5-1 win over Celebrini and the Sharks.
In Other News...
Sabres Catch A Break As Senators Face Another Goalie Issue
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The lineup hit did not stop there, either. Defenseman Tyler Kleven will also miss the game because of illness, adding another absence for a Senators team already dealing with a thin margin for error as it faces Buffalo. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Power Play Problem Is Starting To Put Travis Green On Spot
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For a team that needs every edge it can get, the lack of finishing touch on special teams has fed into the bigger scoring concerns around the roster. The encouraging part is that the fix does not seem mysterious, with more shooting and cleaner movement among the adjustments that could help, but until the Senators show they can turn those ideas into results, the spotlight on Green and his staff is only going to get brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Look Smarter By The Day After That Josh Norris Trade
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So far, the early returns have tilted Ottawas way. Norris has battled injuries and uneven play in Buffalo, while Cozens has settled in quickly and given the Senators the kind of production they were hoping to add. The longer this trend continues, the better that deadline gamble looks for Ottawa, even if the full ripple effects of the deal are still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]