OTTAWA SENATORS (35-25-5) at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (39-23-3)
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
TV: Sportsnet/CBC
RADIO: TSN 1050
ODDS
Toronto – 165, Ottawa +140
THE BUZZ
Playoffs for the first time in eight years are a legitimate topic in Ottawa as the Senators seek to improve their wildcard lead, put some heat on the inconsistent Leafs, and maybe face them in the first round … It’s the last game of the season’s series, with Ottawa holding sway at 2-0 and outscoring Toronto 5-1 … Leafs lost 3-2 to Florida on Thursday in a mostly quiet night for their big guns … Leaf captain Auston Matthews’s 11-game points streak has devolved to the past three without a goal or assist … Josph Woll’s likely to get the start in net for Leafs, having just passed Terry Sawchuk for 23rd in Leaf wins with 43 … Linus Ullmark is expected to go for the Sens, who have five straight wins since the NHL trade deadline … Ullmark’s .912 save percentage put him 10th in the NHL before Friday’s games … Ottawa is working to improve its standing as the second-worst giveaway team in the league.
THE NEWS
Ottawa coach Travis Green expects captain Brady Tkachuk to play after a sore hip sidelined him the final 6:36 of Thursday’s 6-3 win over Boston … Ottawa didn’t practice Friday, neither did Toronto … Starting with a goal against the Leafs on Jan. 25, Sens’ centre Tim Stutzle ran up a 14-game points streak, extended to 16 of his past 17 after the Boston victory … Green made his 400th NHL coaching appearance on Thursday … Eight of Ottawa’s final nine games are at home.
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THE QUOTE
“It goes back to November when we weren’t playing well and we talked a lot about not looking in the rearview mirror. Worry about today and worry about the present.” — Green on the Sens’ recent run of success.
THE POLL
What singular rivalry was the most bitter in The Battle of Ontario?
- Darcy Tucker-Chris Neil
- Mats Sundin-Daniel Alfredsson
- Curtis Joseph-Patrick Lalime
- Coaches Pat Quinn–Jacques Martin
THE PROJECTED LEAFS LINEUP
Forwards
Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Calle Jarnkrok – John Tavares – William Nylander
Bobby McMann – Scott Laughton – Max Domi
Steven Lorentz – David Kampf – Pontus Holmberg/Nick Robertson
Defence
Jake McCabe – Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly – Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Goal
Joseph Woll
Anthony Stolarz
INJURIES
Toronto:
LW Max Pacioretty (lower body), D Jani Hakanpaa (knee).
Ottawa
F Nick Cousins (knee)
THE PREDICTION
Leafs due to turn things around and get some goals. 5-3 Toronto.
X: @sunhornby