Game Hub 15: Ottawa Senators at Philadelphia Flyers
Sens Adjust Lineup Seeking Regulation Win
Spence is added to the lineup as the Senators look to secure their first win in regulation after a prolonged drought. Initially, Matinpalo was projected to play, but insiders later reported that Spence replaced him. This change suggests the Senators might be responding to recent analysis calling for adjustments.
“We can only assume that the Sens read this preview and thought we made good points, so we would like to take full credit for this lineup change.”
Senators Struggle at Overtime
The Senators have gone to overtime in their last three games but lost twice in those contests. For this matchup, they are sticking with the same lineup used against the Bruins on Thursday. Their goal is to regain the offensive spark shown at times earlier this year.
Flyers’ Current Form and Lineup
- The Philadelphia Flyers enter the game with a strong recent performance, winning their last two games against the Canadiens and Predators.
- They currently hold a wild-card position in the standings.
- Matinpalo is still projected to be in the lineup ahead of Spence, despite the latter’s inclusion by the Senators.
Defense and Offensive Challenges for Senators
The Senators face the challenge of replacing Tkachuk, last season’s top goal scorer, who is out of the lineup. There is some question about when coach Travis Green will try new strategies, such as adding a playmaking defenseman to the third pairing, to boost offensive production from the back end.
“This is no slight on Matinpalo, who has been quite steady for a third-pairing defenseman, but with Tkachuk out of the lineup, the team could use an extra offensive weapon.”
The Senators need to adopt a committee scoring approach since Mantinpalo does not contribute significantly to offense.
Author's summary: The Ottawa Senators adjust their lineup amid offensive struggles, seeking a win against a confident Philadelphia Flyers team, while addressing gaps left by key absences.