GAME DAY: Senators at Lightning, Sunday March 29, 2009 6pm ET

Ottawa at Tampa Bay

6:00 PM ET, March 29, 2009
St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida

Senators-Lightning Preview



ESPN.com/Stats LLC

The Ottawa Senators haven't missed the playoffs since 1995-96. It appears that streak is going to end this season.

Coming off their second consecutive loss, the Senators look to keep their slight playoff hopes alive Sunday night at the St. Pete Times Forum against the lowly Tampa Bay Lightning.

Following its 9-1-0 stretch from March 5-22, Ottawa (32-32-10) knew it had to win nearly every game to keep its postseason dreams going. But with Saturday's 6-3 loss at Atlanta, the Senators -- 12th in the Eastern Conference -- dropped 12 points behind eighth-place Montreal for the final spot.

"We played a decent first period, made good goals," Senators center Jason Spezza said. "Had a horrible second period, and they just outplayed us after that."

Spezza had two goals and an assist. He needs one goal to reach 30 for the third straight season.

Ryan Shannon, meanwhile, looks to extend his point streak to five after recording a goal and an assist against the Thrashers. The third-year right wing has goals in three straight games to go with an assist during his run.

In the last matchup with the Lightning on March 11, Shannon scored the Senators' first goal in a 3-2 overtime victory.

Brian Elliott made 22 saves in that win, but the rookie did not fare as well Saturday, getting pulled in the second period after allowing four goals on just 21 shots.

"By no means was it (Brian's) fault," said Ottawa coach Cory Clouston, whose team fell to 1-2-0 on its six-game trip. "They wanted it more than we did. It's hard to explain that. The effort just wasn't consistent enough at times."

Alex Auld stopped nine of 11 shots he faced as Elliott's replacement. Auld made 32 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Lightning on Nov. 1 in Tampa.

The Lightning (24-34-17) have struggled at home lately, dropping nine of 11.

Tampa Bay, 1-2-3 in its last six overall, returns home following back-to-back losses at Montreal and Washington.

The Lightning, who are six points ahead of the New York Islanders for the East's worst record, rallied from a two-goal first-period deficit against the Capitals, but fell 5-3 on Friday.

"We played hard tonight," said veteran Martin St. Louis. "Unfortunately we didn't get the result. But I think if we play like that with that kind of desperation and intensity game-in and game-out, we'd be very happy."

St. Louis, who has a team-leading 77 points, notched an assist and scored two goals to tie Vincent Lecavalier for the team lead with 29. St. Louis has nine goals and 14 assists in his last 18 games, but just one assist in three matchups with the Senators this season.

Steven Stamkos continues his impressive rookie season after scoring a goal against Washington. The 19-year-old center has nine goals and seven assists in his last 15 games.

Stamkos, selected first overall in last year's draft, is still looking for his first point against Ottawa.

Starting Goalies as per: http://goaliepost.com/
- Ottawa: Alex Auld (probable)
- Tampa Bay: Karri Ramo (probable)

Game Day Notes from the Ottawa Sun: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/03/29/8923116-sun.html

BLACK AND BLUE REPORT

SENATORS: C Cody Bass (shoulder) season; G Pascal Leclaire (ankle) season; D Alex Picard (knee) season; D Jason Smith (knee) season.

LIGHTNING: D Marek Malik (lower body); D Cory Murphy (foot); G Mike Smith (concussion) season; D Andrej Meszaros (arm) season; D Paul Ranger (undisclosed) season.

NOTEWORTHY

TAMPA BAY -- This will be the final game of the season between the Senators and Lightning. The Sens are 2-0-1 against the Bolts this year. Ottawa dropped a 3-2 decision in a shootout in Tampa on Nov. 1. The Senators had a 3-2 shootout win at Scotiabank Place on March 11. Mike Fisher scored the winner ... Rookie C Steven Stamkos scored his 19th goal of the season in a 5-3 loss to the Caps Friday at the Verizon Centre. He is only two goals short of C Brad Richards' franchise record for a rookie ... Expect to see G Mike McKenna start for the Bolts ... Tampa had 36 shots in the loss to Washington. The Bolts gave the Caps 10 power-play opportunities.

Game is on: RDS, SNET-E, SUN

GO SENS GO!!!

thx Shabbs...s'teamwork! :D

Talking about teamwork, will we see some tonight?

Spezza had a three point game but sounded quite upset i n his post-game analysis. Good on him; if he truly was a selfish player like some make him out to be he would have made more of his accomplishments (after all, 2 goals and an assist isn't too shabby). Instead he downplayed it by saying they had a "decent" first.

Just a feeling I have, but I still think that Spezza is showing qualities of being a leader for this team in the long-run.

Now, Neely's rebuttal in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

davetherave wrote:thx Shabbs...s'teamwork! :D

It's how we roll 'round here...

Heh heh.

Dany Heatley's 500th game.

wprager wrote:Talking about teamwork, will we see some tonight?

Spezza had a three point game but sounded quite upset i n his post-game analysis. Good on him; if he truly was a selfish player like some make him out to be he would have made more of his accomplishments (after all, 2 goals and an assist isn't too shabby). Instead he downplayed it by saying they had a "decent" first.

Just a feeling I have, but I still think that Spezza is showing qualities of being a leader for this team in the long-run.

Now, Neely's rebuttal in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

I don't think there is any doubt but that one of the "big" contracts has to be moved out to ensure that this team doesn't get sunk under the weight of these contracts, all on forward. With the chance of the cap dropping over the next 2-3 years, these contracts are albatrosses.

I will not argue Spezza has played better under Clouston, where as Heatley has stayed close to the same. I think both Alfredsson and Fisher will play out their contracts here in Ottawa.

One of these twh, Spezza and Heatley, needs to get traded. With his play of late, perhaps Spezza is the one to stay, and Heatley gets a new address?

Ooh, I missed Luke Richardson's birthday three days ago.

Now, to make us old farts feel older, here are some of today's brithdays:

Lucy Lawless (Zena) is 41 today
Elle McPherson (how can you forget her in Sirens) is 45 today.

Eric Idle (Is this the right room for an argument?) is 66.

Hockey Birthdays:
Brad McCrimmon is 50
Trevor Kidd is 37

Where is Travor Kidd playing these days. Not that he ever was any good.

beedub wrote:

wprager wrote:Talking about teamwork, will we see some tonight?

Spezza had a three point game but sounded quite upset i n his post-game analysis. Good on him; if he truly was a selfish player like some make him out to be he would have made more of his accomplishments (after all, 2 goals and an assist isn't too shabby). Instead he downplayed it by saying they had a "decent" first.

Just a feeling I have, but I still think that Spezza is showing qualities of being a leader for this team in the long-run.

Now, Neely's rebuttal in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

I don't think there is any doubt but that one of the "big" contracts has to be moved out to ensure that this team doesn't get sunk under the weight of these contracts, all on forward. With the chance of the cap dropping over the next 2-3 years, these contracts are albatrosses.

I will not argue Spezza has played better under Clouston, where as Heatley has stayed close to the same. I think both Alfredsson and Fisher will play out their contracts here in Ottawa.

One of these twh, Spezza and Heatley, needs to get traded. With his play of late, perhaps Spezza is the one to stay, and Heatley gets a new address?

I won't argue about Alfie, but I've got to ask why you are so certain about Fisher? He's a career 0.5 PPG player who sinks to .33 PPG in the playoffs. Spare me the details of his work ethic and so on -- I know all that and I appreciate it, for sure. But surely any number of guys could come here and compete hard every game while scoring 40 points during the season? And for a lot less than $4.2M.

Sure, Spezza is not going to get as many hits or blocked shots as Fisher, but he doubles his points in the regular season, more than doubles them in the post-season and wins face offs. He's not the player that Fisher is in many aspects, but neither if Fisher the player that Spezza is in just as many other aspects.

Uh-oh, did I just get myself into something?

He last played in the NHL with the Leafs. His last signing was with some German team 4 years ago. I don't think he's playing any more. He's a barista now:

Kidd currently owns Mountain Bean Coffee Co, a high end coffee chain in Canada.

Sens Game Day on Sportsnet: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/03/29/sens_game_day_lightning/

Whenever you watch a Sens game, they always have a shot of Bryan Murray taking notes and looking concerned.

Those 'report cards' are just about filled out...

davetherave wrote:Whenever you watch a Sens game, they always have a shot of Bryan Murray taking notes and looking concerned.

Those 'report cards' are just about filled out...

He's really doing the "millionaire for life" scratch and win, but never wins.

Ottawa Citizen expecting Auld to start:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Down+Senators/1440547/story.html

EDIT: Elliott to start: http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/03/29/8927596.html