:sens: @ :islanders: Preview
Last 10 -- Ottawa 6-4-0; New York 6-3-1
Season series: -- It's the fourth and final meeting of the season between the teams, with the Islanders still looking for a victory. The Isles got points in both games at Ottawa -- a 3-2 overtime loss on Oct. 8 and a 3-2 shootout loss on New Year's Eve, then blew a 3-1 third-period lead in a 4-3 home loss on Feb. 14.
Big story: -- The Senators assured themselves of a return to the playoffs on Thursday by beating Carolina 4-3 in a shootout after scoring the game-tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in regulation. Ottawa still has a slight chance to catch Buffalo for the Northeast Division title or beat out the Atlantic Division runner-up for fourth place and home ice in the first round -- but realistically, the Senators are headed for a fifth-place finish and a first-round meeting with either Pittsburgh or New Jersey.
Who's hot?: -- Ottawa center Jason Spezza set up three goals against Carolina and has 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points in his last eight games. …Islanders forward Blake Comeau has a career-high 16 goals after scoring twice in each of New York's last two games.
Injury report: -- Ottawa is without goal-scoring co-leader Milan Michalek (leg) and top-scoring defenseman Filip Kuba (lower body); both have missed two weeks and are still day-to-day. … The Isles are still without injured defensemen Bruno Gervais (groin) and Dustin Kohn (concussion).
Stat pack: -- Spezza has 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in his last 15 games against the Islanders. Alfredsson has 8 goals and 25 points in his 24 career games at the Nassau Coliseum. … No. 1 draft pick John Tavares had two assists in the win over the Flyers, but has gone 16 games without a goal at home and has scored just six times at the Coliseum this season -- he has 15 goals on the road.
Last 10 -- Ottawa 6-4-0; New York 6-3-1
Season series: -- It's the fourth and final meeting of the season between the teams, with the Islanders still looking for a victory. The Isles got points in both games at Ottawa -- a 3-2 overtime loss on Oct. 8 and a 3-2 shootout loss on New Year's Eve, then blew a 3-1 third-period lead in a 4-3 home loss on Feb. 14.
Big story: -- The Senators assured themselves of a return to the playoffs on Thursday by beating Carolina 4-3 in a shootout after scoring the game-tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in regulation. Ottawa still has a slight chance to catch Buffalo for the Northeast Division title or beat out the Atlantic Division runner-up for fourth place and home ice in the first round -- but realistically, the Senators are headed for a fifth-place finish and a first-round meeting with either Pittsburgh or New Jersey.
Who's hot?: -- Ottawa center Jason Spezza set up three goals against Carolina and has 6 goals and 10 assists for 16 points in his last eight games. …Islanders forward Blake Comeau has a career-high 16 goals after scoring twice in each of New York's last two games.
Injury report: -- Ottawa is without goal-scoring co-leader Milan Michalek (leg) and top-scoring defenseman Filip Kuba (lower body); both have missed two weeks and are still day-to-day. … The Isles are still without injured defensemen Bruno Gervais (groin) and Dustin Kohn (concussion).
Stat pack: -- Spezza has 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in his last 15 games against the Islanders. Alfredsson has 8 goals and 25 points in his 24 career games at the Nassau Coliseum. … No. 1 draft pick John Tavares had two assists in the win over the Flyers, but has gone 16 games without a goal at home and has scored just six times at the Coliseum this season -- he has 15 goals on the road.
