Ottawa Senators Lose Zub, Shuffle Defense

0:00On April 20th, Ottawa Senators dropped Game 1 to the Carolina Hurricanes in a two-nothing shut-out, and now their defense is hit hard again with... Artem Zubb, sideline. The reliable Russian blueliner jumped up for a hit on Seth Jarvis in the second period, limped off, and headed to the locker room. No updates yet from Coach Travis Green, leaving another gap on the blue line. They were already without Nick Jensen after season ending Maniska's surgery last month, and Tyler Cleven's dealing with a broken jaw from earlier. Thomas Shabos back from a fractured right forearm on March 23rd, but he's no guarantee at full strength. That top pair of Zubb and Jake Sanderson logged over 900 minutes together this season. Topps on the team with elite, expected goal stats. Fans and analysts are buzzing about who steps up with Sanderson, who's fresh off his own shoulder issue. They're pairing Crush Shit at 2.59 expected goals for Per 60, and just 1.87 against. Having that chemistry hurts against Carolina's stout defense, forcing Green to shuffle without

1:02overhauling everything. Jordan Spence looks like the smart play. He's a 25-year-old pickup from the Kings who posted 31 points and killer shot metrics. He's clicked with Sanderson already, and pairs well with Shabos too. Thomas Shabos could go top duo for offense, while Lassie Thompson's been steady lately as the seventh guy, earning big minutes down the stretch. Game 2 drops tonight at 7.30 and Raleigh Ottawa's got to patch this quick or risk an O2 hole just like last playoffs. Keep an eye on those lines. That wraps NHL news today, brought to you with AI. I'm Cory with the story.