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Tonight the top team in the East takes on tenth seeded Buffalo in what has become quite a rivalry the past couple years. The Senators have dominated Buffalo in the regular season the last two seasons, and there's little doubt this year that they're outmatched.
This game should mark the return of key players for both teams. Defenseman Anton Volchenkov is expected to return tonight to the Senators lineup after suffering a broken finger against Nashville on November 29th. While Maxim Afinogenov is out with a groin injury, Drew Stafford is expected to play tonight after sustaining a concussion on the 28th of December.
Buffalo sits one point out of the Northeast basement, just above Toronto. They're only a couple points out of the playoffs, but will need to beat top teams like Ottawa once in a while to stay competitive in the East.
Ottawa, on the other hand is still the elite team in the East, but is not as dominant as their start suggested. Losses to Chicago and Atlanta seemed unlikely, and losing three times to Washington was a surprise as well. While Buffalo struggles against them, look for them to play their absolute hardest tonight.
I love watching these two teams play. Sure, my Sabres often lose, and I expect them to tonight, but they're always exciting games. Though I might change my mind about Buffalo losing if Emery is starting, but that's not likely.
