Music: {allcanada} SENATORS (10-9-4) at ISLANDERS (17-7-0)

Monday, December 1, 2014

{allcanada} SENATORS (10-9-4) at ISLANDERS (17-7-0)

It's a Wonderful Life / The Polar Express

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

7:00 PM ET

SENATORS (10-9-4) at ISLANDERS (17-7-0)

TV: RDS, TSN5, MSG+ 2

Season series: The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders start a home-and-home set Tuesday that concludes Thursday in Ottawa. The Islanders won two of their three games against the Senators last season, though Ottawa won their most recent game, 4-1 on April 8 at Nassau Coliseum.

Senators team scope: Few teams are struggling like the Senators, who have one win in the past five games and have one regulation victory since Nov. 6. Despite the November slump, Ottawa remains in the thick of the Eastern Conference Playoff race; they entered the week three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final wild-card spot in the conference. The Senators' hopes of turning the season around may have taken a significant blow this past weekend, though. In a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday, Bobby Ryan sustained a fractured finger and there is no timetable for his return. While he missed Ottawa's 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, he was on the ice during practice Monday according to the Ottawa Sun. He will have his status re-evaluated Tuesday morning. The Senators' visit to Long Island is the last stop on a five-game road trip.

Islanders team scope: The Islanders enter Tuesday having won 11 of its 14 games in November, including victories against the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. As a result, New York entered the week tied in points with Pittsburgh for first place in the Metropolitan Division, though the Penguins have a game in hand. If there is any cause for concern, though, it might be New York's defense, which may be thin Tuesday. Coach Jack Capuano told the Islanders website that Johnny Boychuk and Lubomir Visnovsky are doubtful. That could put pressure on goalie Jaroslav Halak, who was won his last nine starts after starting the season 3-4-0.

Team Stats