Music: {allcanada} Senators continue playoff pursuit vs. Maple Leafs

Sunday, April 5, 2015

{allcanada} Senators continue playoff pursuit vs. Maple Leafs

ESPN Fantasy Baseball / Yahoo Fantasy Baseball

TORONTO -- The Ottawa Senators will be trying for their fourth win in a row when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Center on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVA, CITY).

The Senators, who are in a three-way battle with the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings for third place in the Atlantic Division, won 4-3 in overtime against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

All three teams are also in competition for a wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

The Senators held a 3-0 third period lead against the Capitals, but needed overtime to secure the victory. Ottawa center Kyle Turris decided the game with a breakaway goal, his 23rd of the season, at 3:14 of overtime. Going to extra time is nothing new for the Senators, who registered a 2-1 victoriy against the Red Wings on Tuesday in a shootout, and against the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime on Thursday.

Keeping pace, the Bruins and Red Wings also won in shootouts on Saturday.

Ottawa (40-26-12) is expected to go back to rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond (The Hamburglar) against the Maple Leafs. Hammond, who is 17-1-1, made 29 saves in the win against Washington. Craig Anderson was in goal in a 4-3 loss against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on March 28.

The winner of Sunday's game will claim the season series between the two teams, which currently sits at 2-2.

Toronto (29-43-7) lost 2-1 against the Boston Bruins in a shootout on Saturday. It was the Maple Leafs second straight loss. James Reimer played in goal against Boston and Jonathan Bernier is expected to start against the Senators.

Here are the projected lineups:

SENATORS

Clarke MacArthur– Kyle Turris – Mark Stone

Zack Smith – Mika Zibanejad - Bobby Ryan

Erik Condra – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Curtis Lazar

Mike Hoffman – David Legwand – Alex Chiasson

Marc Methot - Erik Karlsson

Patrick Wiercioch- Cody Ceci

Mark Borowiecki – Eric Gryba

Andrew Hammond

Craig Anderson

Scratched: Colin Greening, Jared Cowen

Injured: Robin Lehner (concussion), Chris Phillips (back), Chris Neil (thumb), Milan Michalek (upper body), Matt Puempel (ankle)

MAPLE LEAFS

James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Leo Komarov – Nazem Kadri – Joakim Lindstrom

David Booth – Trevor Smith – Joffrey Lupul

Casey Bailey – Zach Sill – Richard Panik

Eric Brewer – Dion Phaneuf

Jake Gardiner – Morgan Rielly

Tim Erixon – TJ Brennan

Jonathan Bernier

James Reimer

Scratched: Brandon Kozun

Injured: Peter Holland (lower body), Nathan Horton (back), Stephane Robidas (shoulder), Roman Polak (sports hernia)

Status report: The Senators are expected to go with the same lineup they have used in their past four games. … The Maple Leafs may insert Kozun into the lineup. If he plays, Bailey would likely be scratched.

Who's hot: Van Riemsdyk has scored in back-to-back games for the Maple Leafs and has five points in the past four games. …. Rielly has four points in the past four games for Toronto. … Turris has a goal and three points in two games for the Senators. … After losing his only game in regulation the NHL on March 26, Hammond has bounced back with three straight victories.

Team Stats