The Pens are 46-21-6 and 4th in the Eastern Conference (98 points) within one point of the division leading Rangers (99 points). The Senators are 37-28-10 with a 7th seed in the Eastern Conference with 84 points.
The Senators are in the middle of an all out fight for a playoff spot. Washington and Buffalo are currently tied at 82 points (Washington with the advantage) for the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference. Every point counts for them as they could be pushed out of their spot.
Craig Anderson returned for the Senators in the goal yesterday, which was a huge boost for the Senators. Even with a loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
A big weapon for the Senators is Erik Karlsson a offensive defensemen on the blue line and was mentioned as a possible Norris Trophy winner.
The Senators will have a big gun back in Jason Spezza, who was a last minute scratch for yesterday's game. He anchors the top line for the Sens. He has fifteen goals and 39 points (including a hat trick) in 31 career games against the Pens. He is has the play-making abilities with a scoring touch. He has had a hectic week, first learning that his friend Nic Zoricic (skier) died in Switzerland and he is waiting for the birth of their second child to give birth any day now. He has only held one goal in the last nine games and is looking to bump things into gear.
As always the Pens are not without their own weapons.
Duper is 4th on the team with 47 points, which includes 22 goals and 25 assist. Duper now has a new career high with 22 goals. He carries a eight game scoring streak with seven goals and ten points into tonight's game.
Geno has his own streak on the line tonight. He is riding a six game point streak that consist of seven goals and seven assist. He leads the scoring race with 95 points and Giroux is ten points from him.
Cooke has really come into his own this season and has been on fire for the last five games with five goals. He reached a career high of 17 goals.
Kuni has hint a 50 point mark for the 4th time in his career and his first time as a Penguin.
The Pens clinched a playoff spot officially on Thursday, which is now the sixth consecutive season. The second longest streak in franchise history which was eleven through 1991-2001. Pens are ranked 3rd in the NHL at (98) with the Rangers (99) and St. Louis (100) not far ahead of them. The race for the division lead in on, but so is the race for the maybe the President's Trophy (best regular-season team).
Injuries
Pens
Niskanen with an upper body injury
Vitale with an undisclosed injury
Johnson with an undisclosed injury
Senators
Peter Regin with a shoulder injury that is season ending
Jesse Winchester with a concussion that is day to day.
LETS GO PENS!!! CATCH THOSE RANGERS!
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