GAME DAY: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators - 7:30pm ET - Mon. Dec. 28th, 2009

The Ottawa Senators (19-15-4, 42 points, 3rd in the Northeast) return home from a 2-game road trip to host their divisional rival Montreal Canadiens (19-18-3, 41 points, 4th in the Northeast) on Monday night. The Habs are hot on the heels of the Sens and are getting some great play from goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Markov is back in the line-up and with Gionta and Hamrlik possibly returning on Monday, this team is for real now after their brutal start. Halak's trade request seems to have sparked something in the team and he's got the reigns now. The Habs have won 4 straight games. The Sens are coming off a shootout win over their division leading Sabres... despite being without Spezza and Alfie and Foligno and Karlsson... the Sens played a good enough game to get the win... Miller was again the difference maker for Buffalo but we continue to have their number. The Sens need to keep the momentum going and build on the win in Buffalo... a more consistent effort through 60+ minutes will be needed to fend off the suddenly surging Habs. GO SENS GO!!!

Game Coverage:
- TV: RDS (HD), SNET-E (HD)
- Radio: Team 1200
- Web: check http://www.atdhe.net and http://www.justin.tv

Latest Updates:
- As per Clouston, no line-up changes, Leclaire starts in net
- Karlsson a healthy scratch for the 2nd game in a row
- Foligno skated with the team on Sunday, hopeful to be back in 4-5 days.
- Game notes for tonight: https://link.nhl.com/link3/gamenotes/gamenotes.nsf/attachments/2009020579/$FILE/gn-2009020579.pdf

Team Lineups:
Ottawa Senators: http://www.dailyfaceoff.com/team-lineups/ottawa-senators-team-lineup
Montreal Canadiens: http://www.dailyfaceoff.com/team-lineups/montreal-canadiens-team-lineup

TSN's Ice Chips:

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

Ottawa Senators:

Nick Foligno (knee) skated with the team on Sunday. Head coach Cory Clouston hopes to have him back in 4-5 days. Absent from Sunday's skate was Jason Spezza (knee) and Daniel Alfredsson (shoulder). Alfredsson is expected to miss the next four-to-six weeks with a separated shoulder. - TSN

Projected lines vs the Habs:

Forwards:
Michalek - Regin - Neil
Shannon - Fisher - Kovalev
Ruutu - Kelly - Cheechoo
Keller - Winchester - Donovan

Defencemen:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Kuba - Campoli
Picard - Carkner

Goaltenders:
Leclaire
Elliott

Healthy scratches:
- Karlsson

Injuries:
- Jason Spezza (knee, out 6-8 weeks)
- Nick Foligno (knee, skated with team on Sunday, hopefully back in 4-5 days)
- Daniel Alfredsson (shoulder, expected to miss 4-6 weeks)

Montreal Canadiens:

Jacques Martin said yesterday that right-winger Brian Gionta and defenceman Roman Hamrlik will return to the lineup on this trip and could play as early as Monday. - Montreal Gazette

Projected lineup vs the Sens:

Forwards:
Cammalelleri - Plekanec - A. Kostitsyn
Pouliot - Gomez - S. Kostitsyn
Moen - Metropolit - Pacioretty
D'Agostini - Lapierre - Laraque

Defencemen:
Spacek - Markov
Georges - Gill
O'Byrne - Bergeron

Goaltenders:
Halak
Price

Injuries:
- Brian Gionta (broken left foot, on IR, could play Monday)
- Roman Hamrlik (knee, questionable for Monday's game)
- Paul Mara (left hand, questionable for Monday's game)

Game Day Previews:

OttawaSenators.com Game Day Preview:

Source: http://senators.nhl.com/club/preview.htm?id=2009020579

NHL.com Game Day Preview:

Source: http://www.nhl.com/ice/preview.htm?id=2009020579

Sportsnet.ca Game Day Preview:

Source: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/scores/20091228/Mon@Ott/story

ESPN Game Day Preview:

Source: http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=291228014

ESPN Stats Comparison:



Media Links:
- Clouston post-practice audio from Sunday: http://bit.ly/6l3CJW
- Clouston post-game audio from Saturday night: http://bit.ly/7kj6aV
- SensTV On-line: http://senators.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp
- Official Twitter of the Ottawa Senators: http://twitter.com/NHL_Sens

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GO SENS GO!!!

I hope Karlsson plays, although I'm not sure who's best to take out of the six other defencemen.

asq2 wrote:I hope Karlsson plays, although I'm not sure who's best to take out of the six other defencemen.

I have not listened to the audio from Clouston yet... so not sure of his status. I have a feeling if he's good to go we may see him back in and Campoli back out.

shabbs wrote:

asq2 wrote:I hope Karlsson plays, although I'm not sure who's best to take out of the six other defencemen.

I have not listened to the audio from Clouston yet... so not sure of his status. I have a feeling if he's good to go we may see him back in and Campoli back out.

Well, tiptop work as always, The Shabbs Network. I am honoured to rep your GDT.

Gohan's right, though, Campoli had a pretty strong game.

Yeah, we'll see. They really seem to want to be pushing Karlsson into each game now... and he may want to stick with his "winning" roster from last game. Who knows. We'll find out more at skate tomorrow...

I think it would have to be Campoli if they put Karlsson back in but I wouldn't be surprised to see them keep Karlsson out and let Campoli or Picard play their way to the press box in the next game or two.

My girlfriend, her dad, and my dad are all montreal fans. if they win, im never going to hear the end of it.

So go Sens

GO SENS GO!!!

Tuk Tuk wrote:My girlfriend, her dad, and my dad are all montreal fans. if they win, im never going to hear the end of it.

So go Sens

Are they intelligent Habs fans or the Ole-singing types? If it's the latter, do you think you'll miss your dad?

wprager wrote:

Tuk Tuk wrote:My girlfriend, her dad, and my dad are all montreal fans. if they win, im never going to hear the end of it.

So go Sens

Are they intelligent Habs fans or the Ole-singing types? If it's the latter, do you think you'll miss your dad?

haha, well the dad's have been fans since before ottawa was even a team. Girlfriend barely watches it, and still thinks koivu's the captain.

Ah, a blonde, then

wprager wrote:Ah, a blonde, then

haha, na, she's much smarter than me (not saying much). Just not a big hockey fan.

she still checks the scores, just to see if ottawa lost, and she can tease me about it

Tuk Tuk wrote:

wprager wrote:Ah, a blonde, then

haha, na, she's much smarter than me (not saying much). Just not a big hockey fan.

she still checks the scores, just to see if ottawa lost, and she can tease me about it

Well, just watch yourself. You know what they say about mixed marriages; same can apply even before.

wprager wrote:

Tuk Tuk wrote:

wprager wrote:Ah, a blonde, then

haha, na, she's much smarter than me (not saying much). Just not a big hockey fan.

she still checks the scores, just to see if ottawa lost, and she can tease me about it

Well, just watch yourself. You know what they say about mixed marriages; same can apply even before.

...what do they say? I think i'm too young (or too slow) to get that reference