Hurricanes at Senators: Preview

Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators
February 18, 2016 - 7:30 pm ET
Canadian Tire Centre - Ottawa, QC
Fox Sports Southeast - 99.9 FM - WRALSportsFan app
SB Nation Rival Blog - Silver Seven Sens

Vital Statistics

*Stats from NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• When a team is fighting to stay relevant in the playoff picture, it's nice to find a game on the schedule against an opponent where they've had success in the past. Such is the case for the Hurricanes as they head into Ottawa to take on the Senators. The Canes have earned at least a point in every game played against the Senators since 2013-14 (5-0-2) and they have points in 18 of their last 21 games played (14-3-4).
• The last time the teams met, in Raleigh on Nov. 7, Jeff Skinner tied the game with three seconds left in regulation and Jordan Staal scored in overtime for the 3-2 win. Tonight's matchup is the second of three for the season series and the only one in Ottawa.
• The Senators are not out of the Eastern Conference playoff chase, but the window is closing. They began a three-game home stand Tuesday night by defeating the Sabres 2-1 in a shootout, snapping a three-game losing streak. Rookie Ryan Dzingel scored his first career NHL goal, Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris scored in the shootout, and Craig Anderson, who has a .952 save percentage in his last five starts, made 38 saves.
• The Canes will see Dion Phaneuf for the first time as a member of the Senators, after he was acquired in a nine-player trade between the Sens and Leafs on Feb. 9. Phaneuf is playing in a second pairing role with Cody Ceci and has three assists in four games.
• Erik Karlsson currently leads the NHL in assists (52) and TOI/game (29:04) and is ranked third in total points (63). Mike Hoffman leads the team with 24 goals.
• Regarding tonight's lineup, Kyle Turris did not practice with the team yesterday but is expected to be in the lineup. Mika Zibanejad played Tuesday despite reports he was not 100% due to illness. Mark Borowiecki was injured in a game last Saturday against Columbus and was expected to be available for tonight's game but has not returned to practice as of yesterday.
• The Canes come into tonight's game winners of two straight games, with points in their last five games, and with a 6-2-2 record in their last ten games. That's a pace they will need to maintain if they hold any hopes of getting into the post-season, currently two points out of a wild card spot but with teams to jump that have games in hand. Since Dec. 5 the Canes have compiled a record of 18-8-6; maintaining that pace through the remainder of the season would put them at 95 points.
• The points pace will be an uphill battle because for at least the next three games the Canes will be without the services of number one defenseman Justin Faulk. Faulk has already missed three games with a lower body injury suffered in practice on Feb. 11, did not practice with the team yesterday, and did not make the trip to Ottawa, leaving the Canes with six healthy defensemen. As of this morning there has been no recall but that may change heading into the weekend where the team will play three games in four days.
• Cam Ward will return to the lineup tonight, after tweaking his knee during Saturday's game against the Islanders and missing Tuesday's game against the Jets. Eddie Lack was reported to be dealing with an illness but was able to withstand a busy third period comeback attempt by the Jets, making 20 saves on 21 shots for the 2-1 win. Daniel Altshuller, recalled on an emergency basis to back up Lack on Tuesday, was reassigned to the ECHL Florida Everblades yesterday.
• Riley Nash has goals in two straight games (2g, 1a). Also with two-game point streaks are Jordan Staal (1g, 2a), Elias Lindholm (3a), and Noah Hanifin (1g, 1a).
• The Canes held an optional limited practice yesterday before leaving for Ottawa, so there are no other lineup changes to report. Further information should be available following the morning skate.
• Tonight's game kicks off the 14th of 16 sets of back-to-back games for the Canes this season. So far they are 9-3-1 in the first game of the set and 8-3-2 in the second game. After tonight the Canes will return home for their next three games.
• A broadcast reminder that tonight's game is on Fox Sports Southeast, not Fox Sports Carolinas [Channel Finder].

Projected Lineups

Hurricanes (2/16 vs Jets)

Kris Versteeg - Eric Staal - Phillip Di Giuseppe
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Elias Lindholm
Chris Terry - Jay McClement - Riley Nash
Nathan Gerbe
Brad Malone

Jaccob Slavin - Ron Hainsey
John-Michael Liles - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Michal Jordan

Eddie Lack
Cam Ward

Injuries and scratches: James Wisniewski (IR ACL), Justin Faulk (lower body)

Senators (2/16 vs Buffalo)

Mike Hoffman - Kyle Turris - Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel - Mika Zibanejad - Bobby Ryan
Shane Prince - Curtis Lazar - Alex Chiasson
Zack Smith - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Chris Neil
Nick Paul

Marc Methot - Erik Karlsson
Dion Phaneuf - Cody Ceci
Patrick Wiercioch - Chris Wideman

Craig Anderson
Andrew Hammond

Injuries and Scratches: Chris Phillips (IR back), Clarke MacArthur (IR concussion), David Dziurzynski (undisclosed), Mark Borowiecki (upper body)

Storm Debris

• Canes Gameday Hub [CH.com].
• Bill Peters post-practice 2/17 (video) [CH.com].
• Senators post-practice 2/17 (video) [Sens.com].
• GM Ron Francis: Young defense stepping up is a big reason for recent success (audio) [TSN].
• How Phil Di Giuseppe helped secure the Hurricanes win over the Jets [Today's Slapshot].
• Canes, Staal can't avoid the possibility of changes [N&O].
• Is there a market for Eric Staal? [TSN] [THN]
• Karlsson's main goal: assisting the Senators back into the playoffs [Ottawa Citizen].
• Finally, after suffering a knee injury in his first shift in the first game of the season, James Wisniewski was back on the ice for the first time yesterday. Take a look:

Here's a longer look at @jameswisniewski skating at @PNCArena before #Canes practice today.https://t.co/cFcicHMZmo

— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) February 17, 2016