Eurolanche

Avs try to cool off surging Senators

Season series: The Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche split two games last season, each winning at home. Ottawa won 5-3 on Oct. 16, 2014. Clarke MacArthur scored the game-winner in a three-goal third period for the Senators. The Avalanche won 5-2 at Pepsi Center on Jan. 9, when Jarome Iginla scored two goals and Semyon Varlamov made 36 saves.

Senators team scope: Ottawa has won a season-high three straight games following a 7-4 victory at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and continues a three-game road trip. Craig Anderson made 33 saves Tuesday after back-to-back shutouts and could get a night off if coach Dave Cameron opts to use rookie Chris Driedger, who appeared in one game last season. "I thought defensively in our own zone we were really good." Andersen told the Senators website. "Overall, our defensive play was excellent and that was the reason why we had success in the offensive zone." Cameron saw room for improvement after the Senators had a 5-1 lead and allowed three third-period goals. "Although we scored seven goals, got good goaltending, [I] would have liked to close it out a little better, but we'll take the two points," Cameron said.

Avalanche team scope: Colorado returns home after a season-high seven-game road trip in which it went 4-3-0. The Avalanche are 6-7-0 on the road but are 2-5-1 at home. "We need to be good at home. It's always tough that first game coming back from a long trip and we're going to have to make sure we are ready for [Wednesday] night's game," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche website after practice Tuesday. Roy said Varlamov, who made 20 saves in a 4-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday after missing six games with a groin injury, would start. Roy said forward John Mitchell (oblique) is day-to-day. Forward Ben Street (chest) had surgery Tuesday, and defenseman Brad Stuart (back) is not close to returning. Forward Alex Tanguay (knee) skated but his return is uncertain. He has been out since Nov. 6.

-- by David Satriano for NHL.com --