Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens: The River Rivalry, Part Deux

The Sens and Habs will meet again tonight, for the second of their six meetings of the regular season.

This time Ottawa has home ice advantage, and the advantage of momentum, if a one-game winning streak can be considered momentous...actually, for Sens fans, a one-game win streak is as good as it gets, so far.

Ottawa comes into this game sporting a woe-full 2-4-1 record but riding the crest of their best team performance to date and hopefully some renewed enthusiasm thanks to Alfredsson's 1000th point.

Montreal, on the other hand, will hit Scotia Bank ice after having lost a shutout match to the stingy, but struggling, NJ Devils. 

Montreal out shot their opponent 29-20 but still lost 3-0 thanks to another questionable performance by Habs starter Carey Price (vs. NJ - 0.850 SV%) and the struggling defensive pairing of Georges and Gill (game worst minus-3 & minus-3 respectively).

Ottawa too has had its share of goaltending woes and will start embattled stopper Brian Elliott, who although having earned the only two Sens wins of the season, has also allowed far too many weak and untimely goals to be considered a reliable No. 1.

Power-play special teams remain a problem for both teams.  Montreal, currently ranking 29th overall, with only a single P.P. goal to date, is struggling with the loss of Andre Markov. 

The Sens, although sporting a recently improved power play, currently ranking 16th overall, struggled mightily on the P.P. in the first five games of the season and hope the recent improved special teams scoring is the new norm, not the exception.

If the stats mean anything, expect a low scoring game, ending with one or the other goaltenders' skates being held to the fire by nervous fans.

Of the two, the Habs, with a 3-2-1  record, have performed much better and are likely feeling less pressure to get the win (with the exception of Price, who must be playing on pins and needles) than the Senators who are trying to claw their way out of the Eastern Conference basement before it's too late.

Will the added pressure help or hurt the Sens? 

If last night's performance is any indication, it can be hoped the "desperation" is a catalyst for improved play.

But one win does not make a marked change, two on the other hand, could make a world of difference.

Out for the Sens will be Kuba (broken leg) and Leclaire (groin).  Spezza (groin) will be a G.T.D., with Zach Smith having been recalled to take over Lee's fourth line role should Spezza not be good to go.  Either way, Lee will be a H.S.

Gerald Norton is a B/R Senators Featured Columnist and owner of the Ottawa Senators blog sensay.wordpress.com