GAME DAY: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm EST - Thu. Nov. 5th, 2009

The Ottawa Senators (6-4-2, 14 points, 2nd in the North East) welcome back the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-4-4, 14 points, 2nd in the South East) in what seems like the zillionth time we've played them this season. What is up with playing Tampa three times in the first thirteen games this season? Who made this schedule? The Bolts spoiled Kessel's return to the NHL with an OT win over the Leafs on Tuesday night at the ACC. The Sens are sporting some walking wounded with Spezza and Volchenkov still out of the line up and the flu continues to run rampant. Rumours swirl that Spezza may be out longer than anticipated while reports suggest he may be in the line up on Thursday. The good news was that Volchenkov won't be out as long as originally thought. Two losses in a row by the Sens have fans wondering what happened to all the promise early in the season. The Sens need to come up with a convincing win and get back on track. Their PP continues to struggle mightily but is slowly improving. It would be nice to see the Se

Note: Thursday night at Scotiabank Place is Canadian Forces Appreciation Night.

Game Coverage:
- TV: TSN2 (HD), SUN (HD)
- Radio: Team 1200
- Web: http://www.atdhe.net/

Game Day Updates:
Clouston: Donovan and Winchester not playing. Leclaire starts in goal. Lines at Sens' skate on Game Day: Michalek-Spezza-Alfredsson; Kovalev-Fisher-Shannon; Foligno-Regin-Neil; Ruutu-Kelly-Cheechoo; Donovan-Winchester.
Niittymaki gets the start in net for the Bolts.

Projected Lines:
Sens: http://www.dailyfaceoff.com/team-lineups/ottawa-senators-team-lineup
Bolts: http://www.dailyfaceoff.com/team-lineups/tampa-bay-lightning-team-lineup
Starting goalies: http://www.dailyfaceoff.com/6862/starting-goalies-thursday-november-5-2009


TSN's Ice Chips:

Source: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=11009

Ottawa Senators:

Jason Spezza returned to practice on Wednesday after missing the last week with a sore back. He will test it again on Thursday and determine whether he can play or not. - TSN

Mike Fisher sat out practice with bumps and bruises and is questionable for Thursday's game against Tampa Bay. D Anton Volchenkov (elbow) is still out for about two weeks. - TSN

Wednesday's Practice Lines

Forwards:
Michalek - Spezza - Alfredsson
Kovalev - Regin - Shannon
Cheechoo - Foligno - Neil
Ruutu - Kelly - Donovan

Defencemen:
Phillips - Lee
Campoli - Kuba
Picard - Carkner

Goaltenders:
Leclaire
Elliott

Injuries:
Winchester (knee, questionable for Thursday's game); Volchenkov (dislocated right elbow, on injured reserve); Jason Spezza (upper body, expected to miss Thursday's game)

Tampa Bay Lightning:

The team put forward Ryan Craig on re-entry waivers. - TSN

Vincent Lecavalier played a season low 16:06 last night in a 6-2 loss to the Flyers. He spent a good chunk of the game relegated to the 4th line. He was -3 and is -8 on the season. Head coach Rick Tocchet has been on him of late and insists Vinny has to play a two-way game. "It's not two guys and the Tbay Lightning," Tocchet told the Tampa Bay Tribune. - TSN

Projected Lines vs. Ottawa Senators

Forwards:
Malone - Stamkos - St Louis
Wright - Halpern - Tanguay
Veilleux - Lecavalier - Miller
Fedoruk - Konopka - Downie

Defencemen:
Ohlund - Hedman
Foster - Walker
Hale - Meszaros

Goaltenders:
Nittymaki
Smith

Injuries:
Paul Ranger (personal, out indefinitely)

Game Day Previews:

OttawaSenators.com Game Day Preview:

Source: http://senators.nhl.com/club/preview.htm?id=2009020211

NHL.com Game Day Preview:

Source: http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2009020211

Sportsnet.ca Game Day Preview:

Source: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/scores/20091105/TB@Ott/story

ESPN Game Day Preview:

Source: http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=291105014

ESPN Stats Comparison:



Media Links:
- Clouston post practice presser from Wed. Nov. 4th: http://senators.nhl.com/v2/ext/Audio/091104_Clouston.mp3
- Clouston post practice presser from Tue. Nov. 3rd: http://senators.nhl.com/v2/ext/Audio/091103_Clouston.mp3
- Sens Prospects Updats (PDF): http://senators.nhl.com/v2/ext/Prospects_updates/Prospect_Update-091102.pdf
- SensTV On-line: http://senators.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp
- Official Twitter of the Ottawa Senators: http://twitter.com/NHL_Sens

Ottawa's Last Game: vs Atlanta Thrashers
- Date: Sat. Oct. 31st, 2009
- Score: Thrashers 3 - Senators 1
- Recap: http://senators.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2009020182
- Boxscore: http://senators.nhl.com/club/boxscore.htm?id=2009020182
- Game Summary: http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/GS020182.HTM
- Video: http://senators.nhl.com/club/gamevideo.htm?id=2009020182

Noteable Senators articles

Ottawa Sun:
Waste of time for Melnyk?: http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/2009/11/03/11625761.html

Ottawa Sun:
Fisher deserves look for Olympics: http://www.ottawasun.com/sports/columnists/bruce_garrioch/2009/11/03/11626151.html

Ottawa Citizen:
Melnyk wants his money back: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Melnyk+wants+money+back/2180934/story.html

Ottawa Citizen:
Ruutu's a metal fan: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Metal+Ruutu+leads+fellow+Senators+Metallica+concert/2180943/story.html

Ottawa Citizen:
Volchenkov could be back soon: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/hockey/ottawa-senators/Volchenkov+could+back+Senators+lineup+soon/2172911/story.html

OttawaSenators.com:
Spezza hopeful for return: http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504768

OttawaSenators.com:
A first for me: http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504654

OttawaSenators.com:
A November to remember?: http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504513

Noteable Lightning articles:

TampaBayLightning.com
Niittymaki making most of his opportunities: http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504674

TampaBayLightning.com
Start of important road trip: http://lightning.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=504494

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GO SENS GO!!!

Swell GDT. I'm getting antsy with so little Sens hockey, but I guess it's for the best with our best forward and defenceman (IMO) out, respectively.

What's wrong with Fisher?

Good work as usual!

We had better start scoring again...now.

Anyone else sick of Tampa Bay by now ?

I wonder if this one will be a blowout like the past 2 games.

asq2 wrote:Swell GDT. I'm getting antsy with so little Sens hockey, but I guess it's for the best with our best forward and defenceman (IMO) out, respectively.

What's wrong with Fisher?

Not sure what's up with Fisher. I don't recall Clouston mentioning it in his presser... probably just bumps and bruises.

Lecavalier is on the third line?

asq2 wrote:Lecavalier is on the third line?

Yep.

shabbs wrote:

asq2 wrote:Swell GDT. I'm getting antsy with so little Sens hockey, but I guess it's for the best with our best forward and defenceman (IMO) out, respectively.

What's wrong with Fisher?

Not sure what's up with Fisher. I don't recall Clouston mentioning it in his presser... probably just bumps and bruises.

Clouston said yesterday in the presser that it was bumps and bruises but was non-committel about whether he'd be in the lineup or not on Thursday.

Game Day!!!

GO SENS GO!!!

shabbs wrote:Game Day!!!

GO SENS GO!!!

Sounds like Spezza will be a game-time decision. Clouston's presser after practice today should be interesting.

Yeah, Clouston's last presser said it could come right down to game time depending on how he feels. Re-evaluating all the way through.

I can't believe the wait is almost over.

Oh man, it feels like we've just waited through another off-season. Go Sens! Score 8 tonight (that's right, 8).

More speculation that Spezza could be back tonight...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2009/11/05/senators_spezza/

I'll wait to hear what Clouston says after the skate this morning.