The Ottawa Senators head down highway 401 from Ottawa to Toronto for a huge division match up up tonight.

The Senators are in action for the second time in as many nights after being blanked by the Winnipeg Jets and Chris Mason 2-0 last night in Ottawa.  8-1-1 in their past 10, the Sens are are one of the hottest teams in hockey, and currently sit number 5 in this weeks Power Rankings. Goaltender Craig Anderson was named the NHL’s third star of the week last week and has helped lead the Senators back into playoff contention. Anderson allowed only three goals in three starts while posting a .970 GAA including a big win over the New York Rangers.

The Senators continue to be the surprise story of the NHL this season.

Rookie Head Coach Paul MacLean has earned himself the early nod for coach of the year, an award that will surely be his barring a second half collapse. The first year coach will have to continue to get production from young phenom Erik Karlsson, who sits 13th in league scoring and first in defensive scoring. Karlsson, who has 6 goals and 38 assists, sits 11 points ahead of Brian Campbell who is second with 33 points. Karlsson has certainly been aided by having veteran Sergei Gonchar around who is having a nice bounce back year with 24 points on Ottawa’s number one power play unit.

The Maple Leafs on the other hand are in the midst of a two game slide that has people worried in Toronto.

Along with the slide has come a goaltending controversy that Ron Wilson was quick to dismiss. This morning Wilson said Jonas Gustavsson played well Friday and deserved to start Saturday following recent success. He further added that the decision to start James Reimer was more about Reimer working hard in practice and his deservedness for another chance to get between the pipes. Regardless of the reasoning, the Leafs desperately need one of their net minders to get on a roll and take over the starting job as the Leafs enter an important stretch of hockey.

Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul have failed to record a point in the Maple Leafs past three games marking the first time this season that the pair has failed to do so.

Trade speculation has been swirling today in Toronto with the report this morning that both Luke Schenn and Nazem Kadri were healthy scratches tonight. However, the rumor has since been squashed by local media and Leafs brass.

Tonight’s match up is the fourth of six scheduled this season. The Senators have won two of the first three meetings and look to continue their hot play while increasing their lead over Toronto in the Eastern Conference.

In all likelihood, only one of these two teams is going to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh is still a real threat in the East even without Sidney Crosby. With Kris Letang on his way back and if Jordan Staal can get back into the lineup the Pens can be dangerous, as proven last season.

Keeping that in mind tonight’s match up is for a hypothetical four points a win is important for both squads. The Leafs are looking to distance themselves from those without playoff spots and gain on teams like Ottawa who sit ahead of them in the standings.

The Senators on the other hand look to continue to establish themselves as a power in the East. A win tonight would give them a 9 point lead over the Maple Leafs who currently sit ninth in the standings.

The Leafs hold three games in hand over the Senators, so a win tonight would move them 5 points back and within striking distance of the provincial and divisional rivals.

Fans of both teams have to be excited that the rivalry is finally returning to the level it once was when the likes of Wade Redden, Zdeno Chara, Marion Hossa, and Martin Havlat wore the Senators red, white, and black or when Gary Roberts, Tie Domi, Steve Thomas, Mats Sundin and Ed Belfour dawned the white and blue.

It has been eight years since both teams met in the playoffs in what were some of the most grueling and heated battles of the last decade. With both teams experiencing growing pains over the past couple of seasons the time has come where both teams may finally be re-entering a stage of relevance.

Montreal and Buffalo have struggled this season and both look likely to miss the playoffs. With Boston running away with the division our attention once again turns to the Battle of Ontario. The players have changed, the rules have changed, the NHL has evolved, but the rivalry lives forever.

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