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Ottawa Senators (6-7-0) at Boston Bruins (7-7-1)
TV: CITY TV. Radio: TSN 1200 AM
TIME: 7 p.m. Saturday
Odds: Senators +136, Boston -154
TROUBLE’S BRUIN?:
It’s not like the Bruins have been great. They beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime Thursday. But it has really been a rollercoaster ride, with an 8-2 thumping at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes on Halloween being the eye-opening moment. Like the Senators, who come into Saturday’s game with a couple of poor efforts (losses of 5-1 to the Buffalo Sabres and 4-2 to the New York Islanders), the Bruins have to do a better job of keeping the puck out of the net (uncharacteristically, Boston has allowed 49 goals in 15 games).
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HAMMER TIME
Former Senators defenceman Marc Methot is among those who didn’t like the decision to take Jacob Bernard-Docker out of the lineup when Artem Zub returned Thursday. Travis Hamonic was bumped to the third line to play alongside Tyler Kleven.
Methot sent this out on X Friday: “Woke up this morning still baffled with the decision to scratch Jacob Bernard-Docker. My concern is the message that it sends to the group. ‘Hey man, you’ve been playing solid hockey, but I think we’re going to go with the aging vet who won’t be here next season.’ I don’t like it.”
Asked about the decision on Friday, Green said: “It’s never an easy decision when you’re putting guys in and out of the lineup. We went back and forth and settled on Hammer. I’m sure Docks will get back in, nothing more, nothing less.”
GOALIE ROTATION
It may have come as a surprise when Anton Forsberg played in net against New York on Thursday. It would be shocking if Linus Ullmark doesn’t return Saturday versus Boston.
Asked about his philosophy on the rotation of goalies, Green said: “You can have any kind of philosophy you want. The (goalies’ play) will tell you when (you should play them). Linus is our starter, Forsy is our backup. Forsy also had two shutouts in three games and played pretty well. Linus is still finding his game. It’s coming. I’ve liked what I’ve seen in practice, it’s as simple as that.”
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TWO WEIRD
Each of the Senators’ first 13 games this season has started with one team – either Ottawa or its opponent – starting with a 2-0 lead. On all but two occasions – Oct. 25 at Vegas and Oct. 14 vs. LA – the team with the 2-0 lead has managed to win the game:
THE QUOTE
“It still feels like (Linus Ullmark’s) presence is around here. The traditions we had live on. We’re brothers for life.”
- Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman on playing against former teammate Linus Ullmark
The lineups
OTTAWA
Forwards
Tkachuk/Stutzle/Greig
Giroux/Norris/Batherson
Gregor/Ostapchuk/Amadio
Cousins/Gaudette/MacEwen
Defence
Sanderson/Zub
Chabot/Jensen
Kleven/Hamonic
Goalies
Ullmark/Forsberg
BOSTON
Forwards
Johnson/Zacha/Pastrnak
Marchand/Lindholm/Brazeau
Koepke/Coyle/Poitras
Beecher/Kastelic/Frederic
Defencce
Zadorov/McAvoy
Lindholm/Carlo
Lohrei/Wotherspoon
Goalies
Swayman/Korpisalo
INJURIES
OTTAWA: C Shane Pinto (unspecified) practised Friday and could play versus the Bruins, F David Perron (personal).
BOSTON: D Andrew Peeke (upper-body) out week to week.
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