Senators hope to rebound with Karlsson back against Rangers

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators expect to have captain Erik Karlsson back in the lineup when they host the New York Rangers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.

Karlsson, who appeared to reinjure his left foot, didn't play in the third period of Thursday's 4-1 loss at Madison Square Garden that evened the best-of-seven series 2-2. Coach Guy Boucher said he sat his star for "precautionary" reasons.

After losing the first two games of the series, the Rangers dominated both games at Madison Square Garden. Scoring three of his team's eight goals in Games 3 and 4 was Oscar Lindberg, who is centering J.T. Miller and Tanner Glass on the fourth line.

Lindberg had just eight goals in 65 games this season.

"I think our line has been doing a really good job, getting pucks back from the forecheck," he said after Thursday's win. "We had two good chances today and we were able to bear down.

"I think by playing four lines you make it tough on the other team."

Glass has been an effective physical force as well as assisting on all three of Lindberg's goals. It's unexpected production from Glass, who had one goal and one assist in 11 games on call-ups from the team's AHL affiliate this season.

"It's been a trying year, to say the least," said Glass, a 32-year-old veteran. "But I kept faith in myself and my family has been huge for me. I believed I could play at this level, and it's nice for me to be here right now.

"Look at these assists, they are not exactly playmaking assists. They are just kind of the gritty, grinding game I bring. Sometimes they end up in the back of the net."

Boucher will go back to Craig Anderson on Saturday after pulling his No. 1 goalie in Game 4. Anderson stopped 17 of 20 shots in two periods. He has now surrendered a dozen goals in his last three starts but has also been hung out to dry on a number of odd man rushes as the Rangers have found a way to cut through Senators' 1-3-1 defensive system.

Meanwhile, Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has had it relatively easy in back-to-back wins, stopping 48 of 50 shots.

"They came out, they were physical, taking away our time and space," Anderson said. "I think we were able to make some plays the first two games, but they've really limited our offensive ability by taking away our time and space.

"Sometimes you've got to tip your hat. They've played some really good hockey they last two games. We need to make some adjustments."

Told his team has been written off after being badly outplayed in Games 3 and 4, Boucher said the Senators are not done yet.

"They've written us off before it started ... we were going to lose in four or five," he said. "We're still there. We never let anybody tell us from the outside the way we should feel. We would have been down and out pretty early in the season and we're still here.

"If anyone thinks we're in a big hole now, they're not on the same page as me."