Gameday: Anton Forsberg expected to return as Senators face St. Louis

The Senators will see their backup goalie for the first time since mid-December

Published Jan 03, 2025  •  Last updated 8 hours ago  •  2 minute read

Will the Senators start Anton Forsberg in net against the Islanders? We'll have to wait until game time to know for sure. Photo by David Zalubowski /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Senators (19-16-2) at Blues (18-17-4)

Friday, 8 p.m., Enterprise Center

TV: TSN5 Radio: TSN 1200

Odds: Ottawa +198 St. Louis -250

ANTON RETURNS

After dressing as the backup on Thursday night in the club’s 4-2 loss Dallas, the expectation is we’ll see Anton Forsberg against the Blues.

Scheduled to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 14 at the Canadian Tire Centre, Forsberg suffered a lower-body injury in the gym. He has skated with the club for the last five days and has missed six games.

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Forsberg hasn’t played since Dec. 8 against the Islanders. He allowed three goals on only  12 shots in the club’s 4-2 loss to New York.

He has a 4-6-0 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and an .889 save percentage in 11 appearances this season.

The expectation is we’ll see Jordan Binnington for the Blues.

MAKING A CHANGE

Jim Montgomery wasn’t out of work long.

A week after being fired by the Boston Bruins with an 8-9-3 record on Nov. 19, Montgomery was hired by the Blues a week later and signed a five-year deal after replacing Drew Bannister.

Since taking over, Montgomery has posted a 9-5-3 record and has helped the Blues get back into a push for a playoff spot in the West.

The Blues had no intention of making a coaching change but when Montgomery became available general manager Doug Armstrong decided there was no time like the present with his club struggling.

Montgomery has an 189-89-36 record in 315 games behind the bench with the Dallas Stars, Bruins and Blues.

BACK INDOORS

The Blues are coming off a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in the National Hockey League’s annual Winter Classic that was held on New Year’s Eve at Wrigley Field.

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St. Loius was good from start to finish in that one and didn’t even give the Hawks a chance.

Defenceman Cam Fowler, suiting up for his 1,000th game, scored twice in the victory.

He’s only the second blueliner in league history to score in his 1,000th game and joined former Senators’ defenceman Chris Phillips by completing the feat.

Phillips scored twice in his 1,000th game on Feb. 12, 2012, in a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators. That prompted teammate Jason Spezza to remark that it took Phillips “a thousand games to find out he’s an offensive defenceman.”

Justin Faulk also chipped in with a goal and two assists while Binnington made 28 stops.

There was a lot of buildup to the game in Chicago so the Blues will have to refocus for a difficult game against the Senators. Ottawa has been one of the NHL’s hottest teams since late November and this is a tough test.

THE ROSTERS

OTTAWA

Forwards

Tkachuk/Pinto/Greig

Gaudette/Stutzle/Batherson

Cousins/Norris/Giroux

Reinhardt/Ostapchuk/Gregor

Defencemen

Chabot/Jensen

Sanderson/Hamonic

Kleven/Zub

Goaltenders

Merilainen/Forsberg

ST. LOUIS

Forwards

Saad/Thomas/Buchnevich

Holloway/Schenn/Kyrou

Neighbours/Sundqvist/Bolduc

Toropchenko/Walker/Texier

Defencemen

Fowler/Parayko

Broberg/Faulk

Suter/Tucker

Goaltenders

Binnington

Hofer

INJURY REPORT

OTTAWA

F Michael Amadio (concussion, out for a lengthy period); F David Perron (undisclosed time length, upper body); G Linus Ullmark (back, didn’t make the trip).

ST. LOUIS

D Torey Krug (ankle, long-term injury); D Nick Leddy (lower-body, long-term injury); F Radek Faksa (lower-body, indefinite).

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