Tim Wharnsby
OTTAWA — Globe and Mail Update Published on Tuesday, Nov. 06, 2007 12:27PM EST Last updated on Friday, Apr. 03, 2009 2:29PM EDT
The Ottawa Senators are aiming to make some NHL history tonight when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A victory, whether in overtime or a shootout at Scotiabank Place, would improve the Senators red hot start to 13-1 for 26 points and give them the highest point total after 14 games in league history. The 2005-06 Detroit Red Wings set the best mark at 12-1-1 and the Buffalo Sabres matched the 25 points in 14 games last season when they began the year at 12-1-1.
Under coach John Paddock, the Senators have won seven in a row despite the fact that their top centre Jason Spezza has missed the past three games with a groin strain and is likely to miss his fourth consecutive game tonight.
The Senators have a league-high six nominees on the NHL ballot released today in Spezza, Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, Wade Redden, Chris Phillips and Ray Emery.
The Leafs and Senators clashed in the first two games of the season, and the Senators managed to record a 4-3 overtime victory at the Air Canada Centre and came back to Ottawa to beat Toronto 3-2.
The Leafs will get Mark Bell back from his 15-game suspension and Kyle Wellwood from his sports hernia problems that forced him to miss the first 15 games this season.
The pair will be eased back into the lineup and play on the fourth line with John Pohl.
The Leafs, who with their 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Saturday evening, began a stretch of seven of eight games against the Northeast Division. Last season, the Leafs went a mediocre 13-14-5 record against their divisional rivals. This year, they have gone 2-1-2.
The Leafs also have been a better team on the road this season, even though they have won only three of six contests away from the Air Canada Centre. But each of the three road losses have been one-goal games.
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