GAME DAY: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm ET - Feb. 28th, 2009

A newer, milder Battle Of Ontario resumes tonight in the nation's capital as the Sens host the Leafs at SBP. Long gone is the bitter rivalry between these two teams as it's looking like they'll both miss the post season together for the first time. Leafs have put together three wins in a row and are not helping their cause for a lottery pick. They'll also be getting some help on the blue line with the return of Kaberle and Van Ryn. The Sens have lost 4 of their last 5 and look to be back in the lottery draft race.

Starting goalies as per: http://goaliepost.com/
- Ottawa: Elliott (firm)
- Toronto: Cujo (firm)

From TSN's Ice Chips: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=11009

Ottawa Senators:
Martin Gerber cleared re-entry waivers Friday. Brian Lee is going to be sent down to Binghamton of the AHL on Friday to clear a roster spot for Gerber. Bryan Murray expects Lee to play a few games with the B-Sens before being recalled some time next week. - TSN

Alex Auld did not skate on Friday due to the flu and Jason Spezza's younger brother Matthew helped out in goal. Auld is expected to be ready for Saturday's game with the Maple Leafs. - TSN

Injured forward Chris Neil (lacerated calf) skated prior to practice on Friday, but is not expected back until after the trade deadline. - TSN

Practice lines

Forwards:
Heatley - Spezza - Alfredsson
Shannon - Fisher - Foligno
Vermette - Kelly - Comrie
Ruutu - Winchester - Donovan

Defence:
Philips - Volchenkov
Kuba - Lee
Campoli - Smith
Bell - Picard

Goaltenders:
Elliott
Spezza
Not Skating: Schubert (groin), Auld (Flu)

Injured:
Neil (calf, indefinite)

Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs assigned defenceman Jamie Sifers to the Marlies of the AHL on Friday. - TSN

Head coach Ron Wilson said on Friday that Tomas Kaberle and Mike Van Ryn would be in the lineup on Saturday against the Senators. - TSN

Niklas Hagman did not skate on Friday morning. Wilson said the forward will be sent home and not play in Ottawa on Saturday. He took an elbow from Islanders' Brendan Witt on Thursday night. Tim Stapleton skated in Hagman's place on the second line Friday. - TSN

Jeff Finger took a slapshot to the arm and has some swelling, stiffness and soreness, he is considered day-to-day. On Friday, Wilson said Finger was not ready to return. - TSN

Practice lines on Friday

Forwards:
Ponikarovsky - Stajan - Antropov
Blake - Moore - Stapleton
Stempniak - Grabovski - Kulemin
May - Mayers - Devereaux/Mitchell

Game Day Notes from: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/02/28/8564951-sun.html

BLACK AND BLUE REPORT

LEAFS: D Mike Van Ryn (lower body), questionable; D Tomas Kaberle (hand), out until early March; D Jeff Finger (upper body), questionable; C John Mitchell (upper body), questionable.

SENATORS: C Cody Bass (shoulder surgery), out for season; RW Chris Neil (calf), out indefinitely.

NOTEWORTHY

Expect to see G Brian Elliott make the start tonight against the Leafs, since he was the only goalie on the ice yesterday. This will be Elliott's first career start against Toronto. The Leafs will likely start G Vesa Toskala ... The Leafs sent down D Anton Stralman, which means D Tomas Kaberle will likely play tonight ... Toronto, coming off a 5-4 shootout victory over the Isles Thursday, has won three straight and has collected 8-of-10 points in their last five games ... The Senators have a 1-2-0 record against the Leafs this season. Ottawa dropped a 3-1 decision to the Leafs on Jan. 3 at the Air Canada Centre ... This will be captain Daniel Alfredsson's 60th career game against the Leafs.

ESPN's Stats Comparison:



Game is on: CBC (HD), NHLN-US

GO SENS GO!!!

Will this episode of the battle be mild or wild? I say wild.

I predict more Leaf fans at the game out cheering our home crowd and booing Alfie every time he touches the puck... in our building.

Dash wrote:I predict more Leaf fans at the game out cheering our home crowd and booing Alfie every time he touches the puck... in our building.

Brutal eh?

It really is. I've mentioned that they should feed crowd cheering noise into our building during games vs. Montreal and Toronto to cover up the Alfie booing and 'Ole" garbage. Because clearly the Sens fans in attendance aren't enough.

Is a sellout crowd expected? There have been several thousand empty seats at the last few games, if the figures cited on CJRC were correct.

Dash wrote:I predict more Leaf fans at the game out cheering our home crowd and booing Alfie every time he touches the puck... in our building.

I hate that, but you're right. It's destined to happen. I have to think of our best case draft pick position just to stomach it.

anyone know where the game can be watched online?

According to tsn the defense will be
Philips - Volchenkov
Kuba - Picard
Campoli - Smith

Vandelay wrote:anyone know where the game can be watched online?

Sadly, it seems the NHL is cracking down on the usual sites.

I know that MTL fans are loud but I went to a game against the Sens, in MTl, and they promote the crowd to be loud. They do this by have chics egging the guys on. The one that makes the most noise gets a ticket for a free beer. No wonder they are so loud!!! ole ole ole ole :^^::####: :^^:

Vandelay wrote:anyone know where the game can be watched online?

Check the Sticky in General NHL Talk. There's three links there but I'm not sure which ones will work.

Vandelay wrote:anyone know where the game can be watched online?

You should try CBC.ca ... They usually stream the games they show.

ElliottRules wrote:I know that MTL fans are loud but I went to a game against the Sens, in MTl, and they promote the crowd to be loud. They do this by have chics egging the guys on. The one that makes the most noise gets a ticket for a free beer. No wonder they are so loud!!! ole ole ole ole :^^::####: :^^:

Hot chicks and free beer? They need to implement that at the Scank as soon as possible.

I hate that Ole crap . . . you're not Diddle europeans Habs fans!

Bass Destruction wrote:

Vandelay wrote:anyone know where the game can be watched online?

You should try CBC.ca ... They usually stream the games they show.

Yes... I forgot about that.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/

They should be streaming it live.