Time to add another chapter to the NHL Battle of Ontario, as the Maple Leafs play host to the new-look Senators. Toronto are expected to challenge for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, though they dropped their season opener 4-3 to Montreal. What about Ottawa, who are looking to return to the postseason for the first time in half a decade? Both teams have changed their goaltending dynamic during the off-season, which is another intriguing storyline for these two rivals.
Many hockey prognosticators have picked the ‘Canes to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final this upcoming spring, with a very good chance of hoisting their second-ever Cup. That lofty perch is still a wee bit of a way off for the second-year Kraken, but they hope to build on last year’s respectable rookie campaign, and tonight is as tough a test as they will face this season.
Like division mates Ottawa, much is expected of the Buffalo Sabres this season after being perennial doormats for the past decade. It’ll be a tough climb up the Eastern Conference standings, but at least the Sabres are headed in the right direction. As for the host Oilers, many have them tabbed to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Final this spring, but questions still remain about their defence and Jack Campbell, their new starting goaltender.
It was a disappointing end to the playoffs for the Panthers this past spring, as they were swept by cross-state rivals Tampa Bay Lightning. This time around, the Cats have added all-around talented nuisance Matthew Tkachuk and, no doubt, are still sore from their premature exit from the postseason. Tonight, they face a Flyers team that is not expected to challenge for one of the top 8 slots in the East, but under newly hired head coach John Tortorella, they should be more competitive and much more difficult to play against.
The Sabres continue their Western swing with a game in Calgary against a Flames team that was forced to make some major roster changes during the off-season and responded in a fashion that has many believing the Flames might actually be a better team now than the one that fell to the hated Oilers in the playoffs last spring.
The Sunshine State Spat, the Battle of Florida, whatever you call it, the game tonight features two of the top teams in the league. The visiting Lightning are coming off a Stanley Cup loss to the Colorado Avalanche, but they won the Cup the two seasons before that and are still considered one of the front runners to do it all over again. Florida were swept by the Lightning in the second round of last season’s playoffs and will continue to be compared to the Bolts until they themselves experience similar success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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