GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Philadelphia Flyers - 7:00pm Dec. 23rd, 2008

Auld to start. Upshall out. Alfie a game-time decision. Kuba out, Schubert in.

From IceChips:
Several players missed practice on Monday for a variety of reasons. Daniel Alfredsson (upper body) did not skate, but did travel to Philadelphia. He will take the morning skate and, according to coach Craig Hartsburg, hopes to play. Dany Heatley (flu) also hopes to play against the Flyers. Chris Neil didn't practice Monday (maintenance) but will play. Ilja Zubov had his visa issues resolved and will play. Defenceman Filip Kuba (lower body) won't play. He was injured on the opening face-off of overtime on Saturday against Dallas. Hartsburg said Monday that he wasn't sure how long Kuba will be out, but Christoph Schubert will replace him on defence. Jesse Winchester (upper body) won't play. Dean McAmmond will be a game-time decision. He has missed 11 games with pneumonia. Alex Auld will start in goal against the Flyers. - TSN

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Foligno - Kelly -
Zubov - Fisher - McAmmond
Vermette - Spezza - Donovan
Ruutu - Bass -

Defence:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Schubert - Picard
Bell - Smith

Goaltenders:
Auld
Gerber
==========================================================
Scottie Upshall will be sidelined up to two weeks after suffering a slightly sprained right knee on Sunday. Glen Metropolit (back) is expected back in the lineup tonight. If he can't go, however, the Flyers may move defenceman Lasse Kukkonen up front. Luca Sbisa, a healthy scratch on Sunday, will be back in the lineup. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Schubert replacing Kuba on the blue line, is very scary.

That's the one guy I didn't want to see go down right now, well...him and Auld.

SensGirl11 wrote:Schubert replacing Kuba on the blue line, is very scary.

That's the one guy I didn't want to see go down right now, well...him and Auld.

Yeah, maybe Bell/Picard and Schubert/Smith to put Schubie with a vet and also reduce his ice time. What can you do, though, I mean Richardson has retired. There's also Lee but after that we're not very deep at mobile D right now. Maybe it's time to give Karlsson a game, but not against Philly.

Is Karlsson available?

Plus, Schubert on D scares the CRAP out of me. He's served us best IMO when he's a crash n' banging forward on the forecheck... I know he prefers to play D but the fact is, on this sens team of late, he SUCKS at it...

Please Kuba, heal up quick and come back strong...

wprager wrote:Auld to start. Upshall out. Alfie a game-time decision. Kuba out, Schubert in.

From IceChips:
Several players missed practice on Monday for a variety of reasons. Daniel Alfredsson (upper body) did not skate, but did travel to Philadelphia. He will take the morning skate and, according to coach Craig Hartsburg, hopes to play. Dany Heatley (flu) also hopes to play against the Flyers. Chris Neil didn't practice Monday (maintenance) but will play. Ilja Zubov had his visa issues resolved and will play. Defenceman Filip Kuba (lower body) won't play. He was injured on the opening face-off of overtime on Saturday against Dallas. Hartsburg said Monday that he wasn't sure how long Kuba will be out, but Christoph Schubert will replace him on defence. Jesse Winchester (upper body) won't play. Dean McAmmond will be a game-time decision. He has missed 11 games with pneumonia. Alex Auld will start in goal against the Flyers. - TSN

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Foligno - Kelly -
Zubov - Fisher - McAmmond
Vermette - Spezza - Donovan
Ruutu - Bass -

Defence:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Schubert - Picard
Bell - Smith

Goaltenders:
Auld
Gerber
==========================================================
Scottie Upshall will be sidelined up to two weeks after suffering a slightly sprained right knee on Sunday. Glen Metropolit (back) is expected back in the lineup tonight. If he can't go, however, the Flyers may move defenceman Lasse Kukkonen up front. Luca Sbisa, a healthy scratch on Sunday, will be back in the lineup. - Philadelphia Inquirer

Update from OttawaSun says Alfie and Heatley will BOTH be playing....how well is the question.

Cronenbergfan wrote:Is Karlsson available?

Plus, Schubert on D scares the CRAP out of me. He's served us best IMO when he's a crash n' banging forward on the forecheck... I know he prefers to play D but the fact is, on this sens team of late, he SUCKS at it...

Please Kuba, heal up quick and come back strong...

Definitely not. He's playing at the world juniors at the moment. And if that wasn't enough, well, we don't even have him under contract at the moment -- and I don't imagine we will until sometime around mid-2009 at the earliest.

I'm wishing he was available, too, tho'.

rooneypoo wrote:

Cronenbergfan wrote:Is Karlsson available?

Plus, Schubert on D scares the CRAP out of me. He's served us best IMO when he's a crash n' banging forward on the forecheck... I know he prefers to play D but the fact is, on this sens team of late, he SUCKS at it...

Please Kuba, heal up quick and come back strong...

Definitely not. He's playing at the world juniors at the moment. And if that wasn't enough, well, we don't even have him under contract at the moment -- and I don't imagine we will until sometime around mid-2009 at the earliest.

I'm wishing he was available, too, tho'.

Perhaps he's referring to Mattias?

rooneypoo wrote:

Cronenbergfan wrote:Is Karlsson available?

Plus, Schubert on D scares the CRAP out of me. He's served us best IMO when he's a crash n' banging forward on the forecheck... I know he prefers to play D but the fact is, on this sens team of late, he SUCKS at it...

Please Kuba, heal up quick and come back strong...

Definitely not. He's playing at the world juniors at the moment. And if that wasn't enough, well, we don't even have him under contract at the moment -- and I don't imagine we will until sometime around mid-2009 at the earliest.

I'm wishing he was available, too, tho'.

What about the Karlsson in Bingo Mattis? Wouldnt even he be a better option then Shubert?

I meant the other Karlsson but, as Bramlet07 says, any Karlsson right now is better than Schubert.

Cronenbergfan wrote:Is Karlsson available?

Plus, Schubert on D scares the CRAP out of me. He's served us best IMO when he's a crash n' banging forward on the forecheck... I know he prefers to play D but the fact is, on this sens team of late, he SUCKS at it...

Please Kuba, heal up quick and come back strong...

Is there any particular reason Lee didn't get the call? He's looked good with Phillips IMO, and has also played with Picard (albeit with limited success).

Maybe try Picard with Volchenkov while Kuba is out, and put Lee with Phillips.

Of course, I'm all for another loss, especially since I'm missing this game.

EDIT: I know there are cap issues, but we still have space and I'm hoping we aren't looking to make a deal that brings in more salary (unless it's a certain defenceman with the first name Jay).

wprager wrote:I meant the other Karlsson but, as Bramlet07 says, any Karlsson right now is better than Schubert.

Erik the Blonde is pretty much the opposite of Schubert in every category apart from speed of shot, skating speed and wilingness to make dirty hits (actually that's quite a few similarities).

Watching Karlsson against Canada, I thought to myself that if Schubert had 1/4th of Karlsson's hockey IQ (or shooting accuracy), he'd be a top pairing defenceman.

wprager wrote:I meant the other Karlsson but, as Bramlet07 says, any Karlsson right now is better than Schubert.

Ah, oops. I kinda figured that there was something screwy about asking for a call up for Erik...

By the way, just read an article that says Schubert *will* be with Smith on the third pairing. Hartsburg must have read my post

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ottawa/2008/12/23/7838326-sun.html

the Senators will change their
defensive pairings. Brendan Bell is going to play with Chris Phillips
while Anton Volchenkov is with Alex Picard. Christoph Schubert and
Jason Smith will be together.

"Philly and Volchie will play together during the game but we're going to start this way," said coach Craig Hartsburg.

I'm a little confused. Philchenkov split up to start the game but they will play together during the game? WTH?

surprise, we still suck.....

did philly just score on the PP?