The Senators couldn’t have asked for much more from the first two games of their season… except maybe a little better luck on the injury front.
The Senators will take a 2-0 record into Detroit on Tuesday night after an extremely efficient 4-1 road victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday. Tim Stützle led the way with two goals and an assist, but for the second straight game, the Sens win came with an injury concern involving one of their most important players.
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This time it was Linus Ullmark.
Drake Batherson talked about the Senators 2-0 start on Monday night (Senators YouTube).
For a good portion of Tuesday, it appeared Ullmark might be available to back up Samuel Ersson against the Red Wings. However, at approximately 2 p.m., the Senators announced they had recalled goaltender Jonas Johansson from Belleville and defenseman Jorian Donovan had been returned to the AHL.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Ullmark’s injury is more serious than initially believed. With Ersson already expected to start the second half of the back-to-back, recalling Johansson also ensures recovery time for Ullmark in that they don’t even have the option to use him off the bench on Tuesday.
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Ullmark left Monday’s game after the second period following a collision in his crease. Sens captain Thomas Chabot tackled J.J. Peterka as the Boston forward drove toward the net, sending Peterka sliding hard into Ullmark.
Ersson replaced Ullmark for the third period.
As for the rest of the lineup on Tuesday, the Sens didn’t have a morning skate, but we know that winger Ridly Greig will return from his two game suspension. In all likelihood, Hayden Hodgson will come out.
The least disruptive strategy would be Greig taking Foegele’s spot while Foegele takes Hodgson’s spot. But Travis Green will meet with the media before game time and his strategy is the only one that matters.
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Sens Lineup (from Monday night)
William Eklund — Dylan Cozens — Fabian Zetterlund
Warren Foegele — Tim Stutzle — Drake Batherson
Michael Amadio — Shane Pinto — Claude Giroux
Nick Cousins — Stephen Halliday — Hayden Hodgson
Thomas Chabot — Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven — Carter Yakemchuk
Cameron Crotty — Nikolas Matinpalo
Samuel Ersson
Jonas Johansson
Along with Ullmark, Sens will remain without two of their top three defencemen in Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub.
Stalled in Motor City
While the Sens arrive in Detroit undefeated, things have become uncomfortable very quickly for the Red Wings.
Detroit, which holds the copyright to name Hockeytown, also holds the record for longest active NHL playoff drought at 10 years. They opened the season with consecutive losses and scoring just two goals. The good news for the Wings is that former captain Dylan Larkin appears poised to make his season debut Tuesday.
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“It looks that way right now,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan told reporters. “He’s got one more hurdle to cross. Still on IR, so the doctor will look at him here, and if he’s clear, he’s playing, and if he isn’t, then he won’t.”
Larkin centred a line with Lucas Raymond and Viktor Arvidsson at Tuesday’s morning skate and also worked on Detroit’s first power-play unit.
The Red Wings could certainly use the offence, but Larkin’s return also brings one of Detroit’s biggest offseason storylines back to centre stage.
Larkin requested a trade during the offseason, and the Red Wings subsequently stripped him of the captaincy. During player introductions before Detroit’s home opener, Larkin was greeted by why widespread boos from the home crowd.
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That wasn’t the only message Red Wings fans delivered.
“Sell the team” chants could also be heard during the game as frustration surrounding the club spilled into the stands.
And Larkin isn’t the only major player involved in an uncomfortable situation with the team.
Defenceman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned and won’t be in the lineup again on Tuesday. The restricted free agent has returned home to Sweden after requesting a trade, reportedly unhappy with how contract negotiations have unfolded. Detroit still hopes to sign him to a long-term contract.
Wings Lineup
Viktor Arvidsson — Dylan Larkin — Lucas Raymond
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard — Emmitt Finnie — Alex DeBrincat
Michael Rasmussen — Andrew Copp — Keegan Kolesar
Nate Danielson — Carter Mazur
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Albert Johansson — Moritz Seider
Anton Johansson — Justin Faulk
Ben Chiarot — Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Andreas Englund
John Gibson
Daniil Tarasov
Scratched: William Wallinder
Injured: Jacob Bernard-Docker (upper body), Marco Kasper (upper body), J.T. Compher (undisclosed), Mason Appleton (undisclosed)
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. For more articles like this click one of the THN.com/Ottawa headlines below:
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