GDT#36: Senators @ Devils: 7:00pm, Dec. 21

The Devils played last night and lost 2-1 in Columbus. McKenzie Blackwood played well in his first NHL start but "Bob" was just a little better. Kinkaid will go tonight as Schneider remains on the IR.  Kinkaid has a .902 SV%, and we can certainly work with with that.

Matt Duchene returns to the lineup after missing "weeks" -- two, to be precise.  DeMelo is also expected to draw back in but will be a game time decision. He had missed the last 5 have after a hit from Riley Shehan on December 8 (hey, I was at that game).

This is the healthiest the Sens have been all season, I think.

The Sens come back home tonight to face the Cup Champion Capitals, who will also be playing in back-to-back games.

A win will get them back to .500 and, to be perfectly honest, this is pretty much where the more optimistic fans expected them to be. In light of all the injuries (Pageau, Duchene, DeMelo, Boro, Harpur, Tkachuk - there's more) I'd say they've exceeded expectations.

Would be nice to be at or over .500 going into the break. Devils is a definite possibility. The Capitals? Maybe we can get to OT.  Pheonix Copley and his .902 don't scare me, but he's still 7-2-1 because, well, they are the Champs.

This'll be quite the slap fight tonight. So potentially duchene and demelo tonight? Great news!

Let's. Do. This. Victory is guaranteed.

Duchene for sure and DeMelo pretty close to that.

What a horrible game, so far. Harpur gets a penalty for trying to avoid a guy hitting him late (hate this "finishing the check" crap when the puck is long gone and the guy makes absolutely no attempt to slow down or stop, even continues tracking to deliver the hit). Then after Hall scores on the BS penalty (Andy has to stop that, come on!) Tkachuk somehow misses putting it into the empty net (Hichier dropped on the puck in the crease and next thing you see is the puck shooting out -- I remember Phillips getting a "closing the hand on the puck" for exactly the same play).

New Jersey is not even skating any more except for Hall. Big come back in the third.

That was a f***ing slash on Boedker. Skating in all alone, how the f**k do you not call that???!

What a wet fart of a game that was. Now it's guaranteed win night vs the Caps.

Careful. You jinxed them once, already.

I think I'll pass on watching this one. I'll follow along, but last night was so bad.

It wont be today's loss that frustrates, its yesterdays

I thought they actually played better than the Devils. Most of the game, at least.

That Tkachuk non goal could have easily give in or at least resulted in a penalty shot for closing the have (Phillips got called for an almost exact play when he just swatted the puck away). Then the pick hours the glove lying on the ice enough to change its trajectory and it's off to the races.