Slumping Ottawa Senators host the dominant Pittsburgh Penguins – NHL Preview
Now that the Pittsburgh Penguins have also qualified for the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs, their goal is to keep their winning momentum going so as to accelerate in the postseason.
The Ottawa Senators, however, have some serious issues to address as they are continuously regressing and with just seven games left in the regular season, they have slightly jeopardised their chances.
That being said, the Senators are still in the comfort zone of the Eastern Conference and can certainly enter the playoffs if they get back on winning track.
Penguins and Senators are going to face each other on Saturday, March 24, 2012, at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Let’s have a look at both teams.
Penguins
Penguins have won nine games this month and lost only one. At present, they are on a two-game winning streak with the victories coming against Winnipeg Jets (8-4) and Nashville Predators (5-1).
Against Predators, Penguins were aggressive and dominant right from the start. They scored two goals in the first period and two more in the second.
Predators got their only goal of the game in the second and Penguins added another goal in the final to win the game.
Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin scored twice in the game and is just five goals short of Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, who has scored the highest number of goals this season. Penguins’ captain, Sidney Crosby, said of Malkin:
"I think now that he's this close I'm sure it's something that he's aware of. I don't think he has to force anything. The way he's playing he's going to get chances to get goals."
Penguins are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference with 98 points after 73 games and have already qualified for the playoffs along with the New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.
Senators
They are ranked at seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with 84 points after 75 games and are presently on a three-game losing streak with the defeats coming against Toronto Maple Leafs (3-1), New Jersey Devils (1-0) and Montreal Canadiens (5-1).
Against Canadiens, Senators gave away four goals in the first period before scoring their only goal of the game. Montreal added another goal in the final as they won the game.
Senators’ coach, Paul MacLean, said after the game:
"Pressure's a wonderful thing. You can find out a lot about yourself and about your team, and how hard it is in the league. For some reason we feel we have that on us and we have to find a way to handle it or channel it into the right spots."
Predictions
Penguins have an edge.
The sum of goals scored by both teams might stay under six.
If Senators win, the winning margin will be less than two goals.
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