(UPDATED 1:42 PM)- Jason Spezza spoke to the media this morning for the first time since undergoing back surgery a week ago. While has yet to officially begin the rehab process, he is hopeful he can return before the start of playoffs. The video of that interview can be seen at the top of this post courtesy of Daniel Slater from theScore.
Fresh off an offensive surge against the Buffalo Sabres, the Ottawa Senators look to continue their winning ways with the Carolina Hurricanes in town.
The two teams met back in Raleigh last week with the Hurricanes controlling the play, on their way to a 1-0 win. Paul MacLean’s team will be looking for a different outcome tonight when they play the second game in a four game homestand.
Coming into last night’s contest, the Ottawa Senators were struggling to find goals without their number one centre.
That wasn’t a problem on Tuesday night though as the Sens got goals from Erik Karlsson, Chris Phillips, Daniel Alfredsson and the eventual game winner from Chris Neil as Ottawa held on for a huge 4-3 win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres.
After losses at the hands of the Hurricanes on Friday, and then Canadiens on Sunday afternoon, the Senators return home to the friendly confines of Scotiabank Place.
Ottawa will play their next four games at SBP and need to start picking up points. Over the next seven days, they’ll play the Sabres, Hurricanes, Jets and then Buffalo again. It’s a crucial stretch for a team that has struggled since learning they’ll be without their number one centre until at least April.
(UPDATE 9:31 AM)- According to Corey Pronman on Twitter, the Binghamton Senators have signed defenceman Brett Lebda to a PTO. Lebda has 397 games of NHL experience with the Red Wings, Leafs and Blue Jackets. Sens morning skate comes at 10:15 AM. Game day post will follow shortly after that.
After an ugly shutout loss in Carolina on Friday night, the Ottawa Senators look to get back on track against a Montreal team that played and won yesterday afternoon.
The Sens caught a break the last time these teams played but won't be so lucky this time around. Peter Budaj got the start on Wednesday night back in Ottawa but it'll be Carey Price that gets the nod this time around.
Fans of the Ottawa Senators got an ugly reminder of just how difficult things can be without Jason Spezza.
Eric Staal was the only Hurricane to score on the night but it was enough to earn the W as the Senators struggled to generate offence against Dan Ellis and the rest of a defensively sound home side. The end result- a 1-0 loss at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.
While they’ve already been without him for a couple games, the Sens officially begin life without Jason Spezza tonight in Raleigh.
With Spezza set to undergo back surgery today and a rehab of at least two months ahead of him, the Sens are going to have to get used to playing without their number one centre. Tonight's test comes in Raleigh, North Carolina when they take on Eric Staal and the rest of the Carolina Hurricanes.