Silver Nuggets: Working on the powerplay, Volchenkov's hitting the big time

Here's your Ottawa Senators news rundown for Oct. 15, 2009, gameday against the Tampa Bay Lightning:

• In practice Wednesday, the Sens worked on the powerplay: Key areas being better entries into the offensive zone and making aggressive penalty killers pay for their aggression. As good as any places to start, but I'm really looking forward to seeing Filip Kuba back there again. (Sun)
• Apparently the Sens also looked at powerplay tape from last year, when it was one of the bright spots for the team. (Sun)
• The Citizen's predicion panel is back for tonight's game, and in fine form: All but two of us predicted a Senators win. (Citizen)
• Looks like Mike Smith's going to get the start in goal for Tampa tonight. (Lightning)
• Positive stat of the day? The Lightning are 3-15-2 in Ottawa since the 1998-99 season, and have been outscored 84-37 in the process (Tampa Tribune)

A few more after the jump...

• James Mirtle talks to the author of Leafs AbomiNation, and in the process equates Chris Phillips with Patrik Stefan in terms of draft-day disappointments. I'd have to agree with Battle of Ontario in suggesting that's not fair; looking at the draft, Phillips is easily among the top five players drafted in 1996. (From the Rink, Battle of Ontario)
• Fans have been dishing love out for Anton Volchenkov and the game he plays, but he's getting a lot of love from the mainstream media now, too (unfortunately, everyone's bashing Erik Karlsson in the process). (TSN, CP, Citizen)
• After Darren's take on Karlsson's rookie season so far, a couple other bloggers--notably Black Aces and The 6th Sens--have come to the rookie's defence with appeals to keep the kid around.
• It's actually pretty impressive that the Sens are 3-2 considering the fact that they average 2.4 GF and 2.8 GA in the first five games. (Citizen)
• Remember Wade Redden? Well, he's bounced back from a bad season and is getting some love from the most unlikely of sources: New York Post columnist Larry Brooks. You may recall last year, when Brooks called Redden's signing the worst in the history of the NHL. (New York Post)