Senators at Lightning Game Preview: Let’s play two

Game Fifty-three: Ottawa Senators (29-21-4) at Tampa Bay Lightning (28-20-4)

Time: 7:00 PM EST

Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa

TV/Stream/Radio: FDSNSUN, RSA, TSN5, ESPN+, 102.5 FM, Lightning App

Odds: Lightning -162

Know the Opponents: Silver Seven Sens

There is something about the Senators hanging around town to play the Lightning for a second game in a row that hearkens back to those halcyon days of the 2020-21 season. Remember back when the league was dealing with protocols and looking to lessen the travel teams underwent during the shortened season so they would have teams stay in the city they were playing in for a couple of days? That was a pretty good year for the Lightning.

Now, it’s just a quirk of the schedule that lends a little bit of a playoff feel to some early February games. Tampa Bay took the first game, 4-3, to climb within two points of the third-place Senators. Of course, since it seems every team in the Atlantic is within a point of each other, even with a win, they’re still just a point or two from not being in the playoffs. Parity – it’s fun!

We spoke in the last preview about what the Lightning needed to do to pull out a win, and they did, well a couple of things. It was another tight game where their expected goals was higher than their goals scored (4 vs. 4.91 xGF), but they did hold the suddenly prolific Senators offense to three goals, with one of those coming on the power play.

Granted, the Senators were a little worn down from playing the night before, but it was a solid effort from the Lightning, who took advantage of those tired legs to out-chance Ottawa 13-11 in the third period. We also saw some things from the Bolts that we hadn’t seen in awhile, namely a power play goal and a goal from the bottom-six.

It was a full-on line shuffle at the morning skate as the Lightning deal with possibility of Anthony Cirelli missing the game. He missed a portion of the second period in the last meeting, and was not on the ice for the optional practice yesterday, or the morning skate. Nick Paul was out on the ice, but he’s also a little banged up, having skated in just a handful of shifts against the Senators on Tuesday.

Seeing Cameron Atkinson on the top line and Jake Guentzel centering Brandon Hagel and Gage Goncalves definitely raised some eyebrows, although to Guentzel’s credit he’s been taking a lot more draws with the Lightning than he had with the Penguins. On the season he’s won 48.3% of the 263 draws he’s taken. Coming into the season he had taken a total of 298 draws in the eight seasons prior to joining Tampa Bay.

With points in their last three games, the Lightning could be on the verge of putting a little run together (something they like to do right before long breaks), and if they do, it will set them up well after the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Potential Lines

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Silver Seven Sens

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