GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Pittsburgh Penguins - 1:00pm ET - FRI. Nov. 26, 2010

Karlsson to play tomorrow. I must say, I'm backtracking on thinking it was a good idea to scratch him in the first place. We need all the help we can get and he can be electric!

PITTSBURGH - In desperate need of some offence, the Senators will re-insert Erik Karlsson into the lineup for Friday afternoon's game in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

Coach Cory Clouston said following Thursday's practice "there's a very good chance" the 20-year old blueliner will play after being a healthy scratch the past two games. It's an obvious move, considering Ottawa has not generated nearly enough on the attack while winning just one of its last five outings.

"We need Erik Karlsson to go back into the lineup and help us out," said Clouston. "When we were winning we were getting goals and point production from our back end."

Unacceptably, the Senators had just 19 shots in each of their last two games.

Clouston has shuffled up lines for the third time this week in hopes of finding a winning combination.

"We had some opportunities, we just didn't hit the net," Clouston said of Wednesday's 2-1 home loss to the Dallas Stars. "We have to focus on more shots, and being a little more accurate, with guys driving the net."

Missing Thursday's practice was Sergei Gonchar, although Clouston said it was a "maintenance" day for the struggling defenceman and that he'd play against his former team.

Better win this game or it'll be Clouston we have a problem.

SpezDispenser wrote:Better win this game or it'll be Clouston we have a problem.

Yeah, I think we're already there. The last time we had a start like we've had this season was 2 years ago when we missed the playoffs. The problem is here and it is bad.

wprager wrote:Afternoon game, 10mm of freezing rain on the way -- perfect excuse to stay home. The only wrinkle is it's a PD day.

Perfect day to stay in your PJs and watch the game with the family for sure. I wish I could do the same.

SensGirl11 wrote:

wprager wrote:Afternoon game, 10mm of freezing rain on the way -- perfect excuse to stay home. The only wrinkle is it's a PD day.

Perfect day to stay in your PJs and watch the game with the family for sure. I wish I could do the same.

Unfortunately we'd already signed up for day care for the girls and can't back out, so there goes my excuse. Maybe I'll take one of them "maintenance" days. My back is killing me, the cold is lingering, and I've got some doc update stuff I can spend a couple hours on.

It doesn't help that, after dropping the girls off at day care my options are to walk to work (about 20 minutes, and that's without the ice) or hop back on the 160, which goes right by my house before it gets me to work. I'm afraid my brain will make a mental mistake and get off at my "home" stop.

Haha, maintenance day. I like that excuse.

Seriously, though. My back is bad, but not bad enough to force me to stay home; my cold is annoying but not killing me; the weather is going to be bad; I *do* have some work I can do while staying horizontal (for the back). And, of course, there's a game on

None of those, by themselves, would be considered a good enough reason, but you out them all together, ...

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

Bass Destruction wrote:Where's the Kovalev -141k???

Have you been living under a rock?

-141k. It was a joke. Negative. (1)41k... Should have put the emoticon next to it.

Here's hoping that, with Karlsson in the lineup, they go back to EK on the left point and Gonch on the right on the PP. Anyone else hate that Kuba is getting PP1 minutes?

To me it's automatic. Anyone who suggests that by splitting EK and Gonch, we "spread out the scoring" should be shot. Stockpile the first PP unit as much as possible. The goal is to never have to put the PP2 on the ice.

spader wrote:Here's hoping that, with Karlsson in the lineup, they go back to EK on the left point and Gonch on the right on the PP. Anyone else hate that Kuba is getting PP1 minutes?

To me it's automatic. Anyone who suggests that, by splitting EK and Gonch, we "spread out the scoring" should be shot. Stockpile the first PP unit as much as possible. The goal is to never have to put the PP2 on the ice.

A couple of things conspired to send Karlsson upstairs.

1) Losing David Hale as a D-partner

2) Being taken off that plum PP assignment on the left point with Gonchar on the right.

No clue why that was Cussed with, it was money in the bank for a previously struggling power play.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

spader wrote:Here's hoping that, with Karlsson in the lineup, they go back to EK on the left point and Gonch on the right on the PP. Anyone else hate that Kuba is getting PP1 minutes?

To me it's automatic. Anyone who suggests that, by splitting EK and Gonch, we "spread out the scoring" should be shot. Stockpile the first PP unit as much as possible. The goal is to never have to put the PP2 on the ice.

A couple of things conspired to send Karlsson upstairs.

1) Losing David Hale as a D-partner

2) Being taken off that plum PP assignment on the left point with Gonchar on the right.

No clue why that was Cussed with, it was money in the bank for a previously struggling power play.

I'm not commenting on the decision to send him to the press box, in fact, I think it was the right call.

spader wrote:Here's hoping that, with Karlsson in the lineup, they go back to EK on the left point and Gonch on the right on the PP. Anyone else hate that Kuba is getting PP1 minutes?

To me it's automatic. Anyone who suggests that by splitting EK and Gonch, we "spread out the scoring" should be shot. Stockpile the first PP unit as much as possible. The goal is to never have to put the PP2 on the ice.

It's all true too.

spader wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

spader wrote:Here's hoping that, with Karlsson in the lineup, they go back to EK on the left point and Gonch on the right on the PP. Anyone else hate that Kuba is getting PP1 minutes?

To me it's automatic. Anyone who suggests that, by splitting EK and Gonch, we "spread out the scoring" should be shot. Stockpile the first PP unit as much as possible. The goal is to never have to put the PP2 on the ice.

A couple of things conspired to send Karlsson upstairs.

1) Losing David Hale as a D-partner

2) Being taken off that plum PP assignment on the left point with Gonchar on the right.

No clue why that was Cussed with, it was money in the bank for a previously struggling power play.

I'm not commenting on the decision to send him to the press box, in fact, I think it was the right call.

Noted.

well i'm going to miss this game, so we'll probably win it. still i wouldn't bet money on it.

seriously if clouston's system doesn't work and he gets shown the door, it will probably mean murray steps down.
the ship is taking on water.

any news on that columbus rumour?

There was really no Columbus rumour, it was just speculation.

NOw the more important subject, how do I watch this inside a government cubicule?

marakh wrote:NOw the more important subject, how do I watch this inside a government cubicule?

If your network filtering is like mine then you better be an IT expert and know ways around the firewall and filtering system.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

marakh wrote:NOw the more important subject, how do I watch this inside a government cubicule?

If your network filtering is like mine then you better be an IT expert and know ways around the firewall and filtering system.

Haven't you guys been paying attention to those Bell ads during the World Cup of Soccer?