GAME DAY: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm ET - SAT. Jan. 8 2011

GAME DAY: Tampa Bay Lightning @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm ET - SAT. Jan. 8 2011



TV: CBC (CBC-O), SUN

Ottawa returns home to take on the Lightning, just 20 hours fresh off a 3-2 shootout loss to the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks.

Last Night's Recap:

The Senators scored the first goal of the game, taking a 1-0 in the 2nd with a goal by the captain, Daniel Alfredsson, only to find themselves trailing after the 'Hawks rallied to take a 2-1 lead late in the 3rd. Patrick Sharp scored for Chicago to tie the game, and Patrick Kane picked the pocket of Erik Karlsson to go in all alone and put the 'Hawks up by 1. With just 1:25 left in the 3rd and Brian Elliott on the bench for the Sens, Milan Michalek tied the game off of a Chris Campoli point shot, sending the game to O.T.

With no goals in the extra frame, the game went to a shootout, where Corey Crawford stopped all Ottawa shooters, and Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane scoring for the Blackhawks and giving them the 3-2 win.

Tonight's Game Preview:

Tampa Bay 24-12-5 (Road: 12-9-3) at Ottawa 16-19-6 (Home: 9-11-2)

The Senators welcome the Southeast division leading Tampa Bay Lightning, while Ottawa sits 4th in the Northeast (2 points ahead of the Leafs, who have played one fewer games). Tampa stands 2nd in the Eastern Conference, while Ottawa sits at 12th place. The Bolts are 7-2-1 in their last 10, and Ottawa is 3-3-4. Tampa is coming off of a 1 game losing streak, while Ottawa's streak is at 4. This game marks Ottawa's halfway point through the season now having played 41 games coming into tonight's match.

This is the first match up between these two teams on the season.

Steven Stamkos leads the Lightning in goals (31) and points (56), and trails only Sidney Crosby for the NHL lead in goals (32). Not far behind is Martin St. Louis with 51 points (17, 34). Daniel Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson lead the Senators with 26 and 25 points respectively. Alfredsson leads in goals (13) while Karlsson in assists (17).

Alfie has 60 (21, 39) points vs. the Lightning in 51 career games.

Stamkos has 7 points (4,3) in 8 career games vs. Ottawa. St. Louis has 30 (8, 22) points vs. Ottawa in 36 games.

Injuries:

Tampa: Mike Smith (G), Randy Jones (D)

Ottawa: Jason Spezza (C), Pascal Leclaire (G)

Lines for Tonight:

Ottawa

Goaltenders:

• Brian Elliott

• Robin Lehner

Defense Pairings:

• Chris Phillips - Erik Karlsson

• Chris Campoli - Sergei Gonchar

• Filip Kuba - Brian Lee

FORWARDS

• Michal Michalek - Mike Fisher - Daniel Alfredsson

• Nick Foligno - Peter Regin - Alex Kovalev

• Zack Smith - Chris Kelly - Chris Neil

• Jarkko Ruutu - Jesse Winchester - Ryan Shannon

Tampa Bay

Goaltenders:

Dwayne Roloson

Dan Ellis

Defense Pairings:

Mike Lundin - Mattias Ohlund

•Brett Clark - Victor Hedman

•Randy Jones - Pavel Kubina

* Matt Smaby

FORWARDS

Ryan Malone - Steven Stamkos - Marty St. Louis

Simon Gagne - Vinny Lecavalier - Sean Bergenheim

Mattias Ritola - Dominic Moore - Teddy Purcell

Adam Hall - Nate Thompson - Dana Tyrell

YES!!!

Thanks, Dash.

Just go back home. Left at 9AM to pick up the in-laws and drive them to the Hair salon for my m-i-l's 10AM appt (wife and daughters were going straight there for their 9AM). Told the boys I'd be one hour, maybe a bit more, and they should be ready to leave by 10:30. Got home 10:20 and the oldest is still in the shower, the youngest is in his PJs watching last night's game. Why did I have kids?

Serenity now.

No roster change from yesterday's game. Elliott starts.

Leclaire's injury status is "complicated". He'll be out at least another week. It seems to be in his hips/groin/back area...

shabbs wrote:No roster change from yesterday's game. Elliott starts.

Leclaire's injury status is "complicated". He'll be out at least another week. It seems to be in his hips/groin/back area...

Wow! I had no idea it was that serious.

From the presser, it sounded like Clouston had no idea as to when he'll be back or what was wrong.

Donkey rodeo.

Can we please send Lehner back down?

He's going to be sitting up here on the bench all week. Talk about a wasted season for him.

Besides, since Elliott played well last night, he's scheduled to be awful tonight.

Atleast Lee was left in. I thought he was solid last night. Come to think of it, he's been solid pretty much in every game he's played. Keep sitting Carkner/Kuba!

Is there any way that the Sens can shut down Leclaire for the rest of the season and thus the remainder of his contract?

Dash wrote:Is there any way that the Sens can shut down Leclaire for the rest of the season and thus the remainder of his contract?

LTIR would be the only option, and I think doctor's would have to declare him unable to play etc...

I wonder if they can.... so its the team doctors that decide... does the NHL investigate if they think they are abusing it?

Dash wrote:I wonder if they can.... so its the team doctors that decide... does the NHL investigate if they think they are abusing it?

Yeah, I wondered the same thing. I think they probably randomly check up on these kind of things to make sure there's no funny business going on.

How come Lehner doesn't get a start?

Ask Clouston

I suppose putting Lehner in against two of the most lethal offensive players in the NHL could be disastrous, but on the other hand playing Elliott for all these games can't be good either.

But I am all for Lehner playing. I really don't think he is the type of player/person that would let a bunch of goals hinder him. He would just get more motivated to play better.

I guess Clouston can't take a chance really, he needs to win, he goes with Elliott right now. I assume his reasoning is that there'll be time to experiment later.

I believe Carkner had a death in the family and that's why he is not playing.

Going to the game tonight.. Hoping for a win.