Since the Ottawa Senators left for their west coast road trip, there has been a major emphasis on the need for the team to string some wins together and get a streak going. Not having won back to back games since Dec. 3rd/5th, the Senators did so on Monday night against the San Jose Sharks with a 4-3 shootout victory that came after beating the Los Angeles Kings 5-3 two days prior. With a streak now in the balance, the question remains what the Senators can do with it and if they can have an end to the season that resembles that of last. Although the somewhat miracle of a run of last year isn’t likely to replicate itself, the goal nonetheless is the same; securing a playoff spot.

Injuries That Could Hinder The Streak

Heading into Monday night’s game, it seemed like the first time in a while that the Senators had been healthy. They had options that offered them flexibility on both the front and back-end of their lineups, allowing them to dress the players that, on an individual nightly basis, deserved the opportunity to play. But, it didn’t take long for that to change. It was during the warmup that defenseman Marc Methot had to leave the ice due to a lower body injury, which resulted in Chris Wideman dressing to fill his spot. Adding to that, during the game Mike Hoffman took an ugly crash into the net where he hit the side of his head/neck on the goal post, and immediately left the game.

There is not yet an update on Methot’s injury, but on Tuesday morning a collective sigh of relief could be felt in Ottawa when Hoffman was announced as “day to day”.

Good news on Hoffman is he is "day to day". So not a long term injury. — Dean Brown (@PxPOttawa) January 19, 2016

Also this morning the positive is Hoffman not wearing an arm sling which you often see with shoulder or collar bone injuries. — Dean Brown (@PxPOttawa) January 19, 2016

It seems that the Senators have dodged a couple of bullets this year. First, Kyle Turris dodging a serious leg injury, and now Hoffman, after an ugly-looking collision, won’t be held out for long.

Methot and Hoffman have unquestionably big roles on this team and as the Senators look to climb up the standings, their presence on the ice will noticeably be missed.

Where the Senators Stand

With a record of 22-18-6, Ottawa is tied in points with the slumping Montreal Canadiens, who currently hold the second Wild Card spot. The Boston Bruins (51 pts) and Tampa Bay Lightning (52 pts) are close by in the standings as well. Though Ottawa hasn’t had the results they’ve wanted since the holidays, it won’t take much to put them ahead in the race. A little streak could change their season, just like it did last year.