GAME DAY: New York Rangers @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm Jan. 10th, 2009

Redden makes a visit to Scotiabank place today as the Sens host the Rangers. Coming off a dismal road trip where they went 1-6-1, the Sens hope for some reprieve from the road. Rumours swirl about a big shakeup in the Sens' organization with Hartsburg and Murray's jobs on the line.

Elliott has been called up from Bingo and is expected to get the start tonight. Kuba and Foligno are expected back in the lineup tonight with Volchi and Bass still out with injuries and Ruutu on suspension.

Lundqvist is expected to go for the Rangers as Valiquette played last night in a 2-1 SO loss to the Sabres.

BLACK AND BLUE REPORT

RANGERS: D Marc Staal (undisclosed), was expected to play last night in Buffalo.

SENATORS: C Cody Bass (shoulder surgery), out for season; D Anton Volchenkov (shoulder), day-to-day.

NOTEWORTHY

The Senators are expected to have D Filip Kuba back in the lineup for tonight's game. He's missed the last eight games with a groin injury. Despite missing those games, he's still the Senators' top-scoring defenceman with 22 points, nine more than Alexandre Picard ... D Brian Lee left the game against the Bruins with the flu, but is expected to play tonight. Ditto for F Nick Foligno, who had his head run into the boards ... C Jason Spezza has overtaken W Dany Heatley for the Senators' goal scoring lead with 17. Heatley has two goals in his last 14 games and both of those were in the same game, Dec. 23 against the Flyers ... Since starting the season with a blazing 10-2-1 record out of the gate, the Rangers are 14-13-2 ... The Rangers are 27th on the power play, but are tied for first on the penalty kill going into last night's games.

Game is on CBC,MSG PLUS (HD). Those outside of the broadcast area will need NHL CI to see it though.

Let's see if Cherry spots Fisher chatting it up with Redden coming into SBP.

wprager wrote:Let's see if Cherry spots Fisher chatting it up with Redden coming into SBP.

Those damn thugs!!!!

So the Rangers played the backup against Buffalo and King Henrik against us. I find that surprising.

wprager wrote:So the Rangers played the backup against Buffalo and King Henrik against us. I find that surprising.

Redden probably begged for it to be like that...

Interesting stat:

From: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/01/10/7978091-sun.html

"Ottawa, which has 32 points, hasn't been this bad at the 39-game mark since January 1997 (31 points).

That '97 team managed to make the post-season for the first time in Senators history."

Ahhhh good times.

shabbs wrote:

wprager wrote:Let's see if Cherry spots Fisher chatting it up with Redden coming into SBP.

Those damn thugs!!!!

Just for fun, Fish should call up Redden and get them both to come in wearing top-hats and carrying a couple of hubcaps. That would be hilarious! I love Cherry but I am not blind to his flaws. If they did that I'm sure *Ron* would get the guys in the control booth to run the tape, even if Grapes didn't want to do that.

goaliepost.com is reporting Lundqvist is firm, Elliott is probable.

http://goaliepost.com/

Stay tuned...

shabbs wrote:Interesting stat:

"Ottawa, which has 32 points, hasn't been this bad at the 39-game mark since January 1997 (31 points).

That '97 team managed to make the post-season for the first time in Senators history."

You B*stard! You're getting my hopes up.

Seriously, though, everyone is talking about 94 points like it's some kind of magical number. Simple fact is that the East is full of under performing teams, hovering pretty close to even and still in a playoff spot (or at least they did until recent surges by Carolina and Buffalo). Rangers and Devils are playing .500 in their last 10 games, Pittsburgh is close to .500 on the season. It's like going back to the 21-team league in the '80s where playing .500 guaranteed you a playoff spot.

I think the cut-off line will be 90 points, and might actually even get into the 80s. And we'll still miss the playoffs unless Elliott comes in and pitches 15 shootouts in the next 43 games, and the forwards manage to "win" him another 15 games by scoring a few.

shabbs wrote:goaliepost.com is reporting Lundqvist is firm, Elliott is probable.

http://goaliepost.com/

Stay tuned...

Would there be any reason -- any at all that you can think of -- to bring Elliott up and have him sit? He's coming in to pad his NHL stats Time to start creeping up on Emery's record.

This is all extremely odd that we would bring up Elliott to a team that hasn't exactly made life easy for its goaltenders. I sincerely wonder what the motive behind all of this is.

PKC wrote:This is all extremely odd that we would bring up Elliott to a team that hasn't exactly made life easy for its goaltenders. I sincerely wonder what the motive behind all of this is.

It is odd unless there is an injury to Gerber or Auld. I can't help but wonder if a trade is imminent, or if we are just going to waive Gerber.

PKC wrote:This is all extremely odd that we would bring up Elliott to a team that hasn't exactly made life easy for its goaltenders. I sincerely wonder what the motive behind all of this is.

Yeah, you think you'd want to shelter Elliott from this mess... perhaps it's more of a kick in the arse for Gerber and Auld? More "sending a message" fluff?

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:This is all extremely odd that we would bring up Elliott to a team that hasn't exactly made life easy for its goaltenders. I sincerely wonder what the motive behind all of this is.

It is odd unless there is an injury to Gerber or Auld. I can't help but wonder if a trade is imminent, or if we are just going to waive Gerber.

Waive the goalie that got us our only win on the road trip?



Sigh...

PKC wrote:This is all extremely odd that we would bring up Elliott to a team that hasn't exactly made life easy for its goaltenders. I sincerely wonder what the motive behind all of this is.

The reason is simple, our goaltending has been putrid lately and Murray/Hartsburg still want to win.