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SENATORS (17-13-2) at CANUCKS (16-10-6)
Saturday 10 p.m. ET, Rogers Arena
TV: Sportsnet Radio: TSN 1200
Odds: Ottawa +118, Vancouver -142
A CUT ABOVE
Brady Tkachuk took a nasty gash to his mouth when he was high-sticked by Calgary’s Michael Backlund in the game on Thursday. He also lost a tooth.
He needed nine stitches to close up the deep cut, but still returned to the game.
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And he scored the game-winning goal in overtime.
All in a day’s work for the Senators captain, whose 10th career overtime goals are a franchise record.
It’s back to business Saturday in Vancouver, with the Senators chasing their sixth straight victory.
As for the cringeworthy cut, Tkachuk joked after the game it was a good thing that Christmas photos had already been taken.
THIRD, FOURTH LINES HELPING
The Senators’ success goes beyond goalie Linus Ullmark and the play of their top couple of lines, particularly Tkachuk (16 goals, 17 assists), Drake Batherson (13 goals, 20 assists) and Tim Stutzle 11 goals, 27 assists). The team’s third (Nick Cousins, Shane Pinto and Michael Amadio) and fourth (Noah Gregor, Zack Ostapchuk and Ridly Greig) lines have been contributing more regularly.
Asked about Greig, who scored a short-handed goal in Thursday’s 3-2 against Calgary, Senators head coach Travis Green said: “That line was one of the bright spots. Rids’ game is growing as the season progresses.”
FEUD FOR THOUGHT
Two of the Canucks best players — JT Miller and Elias Pettersson — are said to not be getting along.
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Speaking on TSN’s OverDrive show, former Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau said: “It is a problem and I knew they had a bit of a problem between them before I got there, but I thought that was all straightened out.”
TSN’s Farhan Lalji said a couple of months ago that Miller allegedly called Pettersson “a baby” after a scuffle, with the two chopping at each other during practice.
Miller returned to the Canucks recently after taking a 10-game leave of absence for mental-health purposes.
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THE ROSTERS
OTTAWA
Forwards
Tkachuk/Norris/Batherson
Giroux/Stutzle/Gaudette
Cousins/Pinto/Amadio
Gregor/Ostapchuk/Greig
Defencemen
Chabot/Jensen
Sanderson/Hamonic
Kleven/Bernard-Docker
Goaltenders
Ullmark/Merilainen
VANCOUVER
Forwards
Giuseppe/Miller/Boeser
Debrusk/Pettersson/Karlsson
Joshua/Suter/Garland
Heinen/Blueger/Sherwood
Defencemen
Hughes/Myers
Soucy/Juullsen
Forbert/Desharnais
Goaltenders
Lankinen/Demko
INJURY REPORT
OTTAWA
D Artem Zub (IR, fractured foot), F David Perron (day-to-day, upper body).
VANCOUVER
D Filip Hronek (IR, lower-body procedure)
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