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Ottawa Senators (6-7-0) vs. Boston Bruins (7-7-1)

TV: CITY TV. Radio: TSN 12:00 p.m.

TIME: 7 p.m. Saturday

Odds: Senators +136, Boston -154

A LOT OF PROBLEMS? :

It’s not like the Bruins have been great. They beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 in overtime on Thursday. But it truly has been a roller coaster ride, with an 8-2 score at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes on Halloween being the telling moment. Like the Senators, who enter Saturday’s game with some poor efforts (5-1 losses to the Buffalo Sabers and 4-2 losses to the New York Islanders), the Bruins need to do a better job of keeping the puck out of reach. the net (unusually, Boston has allowed 49 goals in 15 games).

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HAMMER TIME

Former Senators defenseman Marc Methot was among those who didn’t like the decision to remove Jacob Bernard-Docker from the lineup when Artem Zub returned on Thursday. Travis Hamonic was relegated to the third line to play alongside Tyler Kleven.

Méthot sent this on Friday X: “I woke up this morning still disconcerted by the decision to scratch Jacob Bernard-Docker. What worries me is the message it sends to the group. “Hey man, you played some good hockey, but I think we’re going to go with the aging veteran who won’t be here next season.” I don’t like it.

Asked about the decision Friday, Green said, “It’s never an easy decision when you’re putting guys in and out of the lineup. We went back and forth and settled on Hammer. I’m sure Docks will come back, no more, no less.

GOALIE ROTATION

It may have come as a surprise when Anton Forsberg played in net against New York on Thursday. It would be shocking if Linus Ullmark didn’t return Saturday against Boston.

Asked about his philosophy on goaltending rotation, Green replied: “You can have any type of philosophy you want. The (goalie play) will tell you when (you should play them). Linus is our starter, Forsy is our backup. Forsy also had two shutouts in three games and played pretty well. Linus always finds his game. It happens. I liked what I saw in training, it’s as simple as that.

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THE QUOTE

“It always feels like (Linus Ullmark’s) presence is around here. The traditions we had continue. We are brothers for life.

• Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman talks about former teammate Linus Ullmark

Queues

OTTAWA

Attackers

Tkachuk/Stutzle/Greig

Giroux/Norris/Batherson

Gregor/Ostapchuk/Amadio

Cousins/Gaudette/MacEwen

Defense

Sanderson/Zub

Chabot/Jensen

Kleven/Hamonic

Goalkeepers

Ullmark/Forsberg

BOSTON

Attackers

Johnson/Zacha/Pastrnak

Marchand/Lindholm/Brazeau

Koepke/Coyle/Poitras

Beecher/Kastelic/Frédéric

Defense

Zadorov/McAvoy

Lindholm/Carlo

Lohrei/Wotherspoon

Goalkeepers

Swayman/Korpisalo

INJURIES

OTTAWA: C Shane Pinto (unspecified) practiced Friday and could play against the Bruins, A David Perron (personnel).

BOSTON: D Andrew Peeke (upper body) out week to week.

Recommended by the editorial

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   PANIC BUTTON? The Ottawa Senators must fix what’s wrong Saturday in Boston

2. 

   TAKEAWAY: Tim Stutzle takes puck to the face, Ottawa Senators fall flat in loss to Islanders

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