The Ottawa Senators won’t make any changes to their lineup for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series against the New York Rangers tonight. However, it does appear coach Paul MacLean will shuffle his lines.
He is the most highly paid athlete in Ottawa, at long last appreciated by hometown fans who needed years to warm to him. In his prime at 28, he is adopting a leadership role, likely the captain-apparent, enjoying perhaps his finest NHL season. He is a better-than-point-per-game player in an era dominated by swollen goalies. [...]
Hear what the Senators’ centre had to say Tuesday.
How about that for a mid-winter pick up trip to Florida? The Ottawa Senators are revived and refreshed, re-establishing themselves as a legitimate playoff contender following an impressive Sunshine State sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. In short, they enjoyed a little sun and a lot of fun, leaving the memories of that seven-game losing streak behind.
Fans have voted four Senators into the starting lineup for the NHL all-star game in Ottawa, including captain Daniel Alfredsson and surprise late-charger Milan Michalek.
It’s a fair bet that no one who scratched out pre-season predictions would have placed the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins where they are today.
With the five goals and eight assists Jason Spezza had going into Saturday’s game, the Senators could already call him Mr. October.