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If this season is all about the growth of young prospects, Brannstrom is certainly getting the opportunities while being paired with veteran Ron Hainsey. He has averaged 14:39 per game, including 15:09 (and three shots on goal) against Minnesota.

“I think he has been great, well ahead of where I would have guessed where he would have been if you had asked me in the summertime,” said Senators coach D.J. Smith. “His hockey sense and his compete level is really high. He wants to learn. He wants to get better. The other day, he was playing against big men in Minnesota, up against (6-4, 206-pound Eric) Staal. I don’t think you can get that kind of experience (elsewhere) that he is getting right now.”

That said, Smith was not even close to impressed with what the Senators delivered against Minnesota. If they again play without urgency against the loaded Golden Knights, they’re at risk of being run over. The Golden Knights are also bitter at having blown a 2-1 lead en route to a 5-2 loss here against Nashville on Tuesday.

“We’ve got to get back to work,” said Smith. “I didn’t love our game and our level of compete against Minnesota. The big thing for me on this trip (the Senators move on to play the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday and the Dallas Stars on Monday) is how hard we work.”

Smith says the T-Mobile Arena is the loudest rink in the NHL, and that means a team-oriented approach is necessary to deal with the inherent intimidation.

Anders Nilsson, who was shaky in his only previous start of the season, a 6-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues last Thursday, will start in goal for the Senators.

Centre Artem Anisimov, who didn’t dress against Minnesota on Monday due to a lower-body injury, left practice early Wednesday, leaving his status questionable for the Golden Knights game.

kwarren@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren

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