[7:38 PM] Hurricanes @ Senators

Who will WIN this matchup?

Carolina Hurricanes (2-4-2)

@ Ottawa Senators (5-3-0)

 

Starting Goalies:

Cam Ward (CAR): Confirmed

Craig Angerson (OTT): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Carolina Hurricanes: (+115)

Ottawa Senators: (-135)

 

• Craig Anderson warmed the heart with an emotional performance in his last outing and the NHL’s First Star of the Week carries his shutout streak into Tuesday as the Ottawa Senators open a three-game homestand against the Carolina Hurricanes. Anderson turned aside all 37 shots he faced in Ottawa’s 2-0 victory over Edmonton on Sunday in his first start since taking a leave of absence to be with his wife, Nicholle, who recently was diagnosed with cancer.

• Jeff Skinner has enjoyed a sizzling start to the season, complete with three of his team-leading five goals in his last two contests to highlight his five-game point streak (four goals, five assists). The 2011 Calder Trophy winner gashed Ottawa for a pair of goals in his last encounter and defenseman Justin Faulk – who found the net for the third time this season on Sunday – collected a goal and an assist in his last meeting with the Senators. Struggling netminder Cam Ward has surrendered four goals in two of his last three outings, but owns a sterling 15-7-2 career mark with a shutout against Ottawa.

• Signed to a four-year, $21 million contract in the offseason, Mike Hoffman finally is starting to pay dividends by scoring his first goal in his eighth game of the season. The 26-year-old led Ottawa in goals for the second straight season in 2015-16, netting career highs in tallies (29), assists (30) and points (59) while leading the club with nine power-play goals. Fellow forward Bobby Ryan sealed Sunday’s win by scoring into the empty net, but has yet to light the lamp in 13 career encounters with Carolina.

• Anderson, who made 22 saves in a 3-0 victory over Vancouver last Tuesday, has seen his shutout streak extend to 121 minutes, 57 seconds.

• Carolina C Jordan Staal had two goals and an assist in three games versus Ottawa last season, including the overtime tally in a 3-2 triumph on Nov. 7.

• The Senators have killed off all seven short-handed situations over the last three games after yielding six power-play goals in their previous four.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Ottawa Senators 

Confidence: 5/10

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