The Week Ahead: The "2 points is 2 points" edition

by Joe Boughner 

And they agreed to never speak of that Leafs game again. On to the preview!

Last week's record

• 3-0-0 

This week's matchups

• Monday vs San Jose
• Thursday vs New York Rangers
• Saturday @ Maple Leafs

Storylines to watch

Last five games: Ottawa (5-0-0); BOS (0-3-2)

Okay, obviously there's still work to do. But Ottawa has two games in hand on Boston and currently sits just one point back in the standings. For a long time, it seemed like Ottawa just couldn't make up any ground on the Bruins, but the past week has seen a pretty dramatic swing.

"He Burgled Our Hearts: The Andrew Hammond Story" has gone from "Act 1: Well Hello, Dolly" to "Act 2: Winning Ugly" - the question is what's the name of Act 3? "Ken Dryden Revisited," "Thanks, That Was Fun" or "50% off Andrew Hammond Shirseys?"

Either way, we'll always have the burgers.

Check your lineup cards cause someone just called "Bingo!"

When you've won 14 of your last 16 games and your last six in a row, you aren't usually looking to change your roster too dramatically. And, with the exception of the world's most persistent bone bruise, the Sens have been remarkably free from injury in that stretch too. But with Michalek's status questionable and Matt Puempel out "week-to-week" after blocking a shot, changes are a-coming.

Zack Smith has been recalled from his conditioning stint in Binghamton so he'll bring his grit, leadership and hypnotically-beautiful blue eyes back into a Sens lineup that's been severely lacking in faces that remain handsome despite taking many punches. If 9MM can't go, does that mean Colin Greening's exile in the press box ends too? Will MacArthur be ready to rejoin his old linemates any time soon? Or will the Sens answer the popular call on Twitter and give Shane Prince another shot? [UPDATE: Colin Greening is back in, presumably because there's no way an unproven AHL call-up could possibly help our playoff chances.]

Here's to you, Buddy Robinson

Oh hey, speaking of Bingo, remember when Bryan Murray had his media availability an hour after the trade deadline? Remember how he said Puempel was probably going to get another game or two then he'd head back to the AHL so they could call up another prospect?

Of course, if we really cared about Buddy Robinson
we wouldn't have used a picture of Danny Hobbs.
Admit it, you had no idea.

He mentioned Buddy Robinson by name, guys. He mentioned him. By. Name.

And here we are, three weeks later and he hasn't been mentioned since. Puempel's finally out of the lineup yet all we can talk about is Prince. And Greening. And Smith.

Fear not, Buddy Robinson. The bosses may've forgotten about you but we haven't.

And here's to you, Buddy Robinson

Bryan loves you more than he has shown

Whoa-whoa-whoa

What's that you say, Buddy Robinson?

Yes Puempel's hurt but in Bingo you will stay

Hey-hey-hey

Hey-hey-hey

Parting shots

• Statline of the week: Lazar has gone (1) game without eating a burger from the ice
• Imagined Sun headline of the week: "Smitty's back!" (because grit)
• What Sens fans will be complaining about on Twitter: High blood pressure