Silver Nuggets: Elliott starts, Michalek still out
A few headlines as we wait for puck drop tonight with the Ottawa Senators taking on the New York Islanders:
- Sens go with the hot hand again, as Brian Elliott gets the start against the Islanders even though Pascal Leclaire is ready to go. Don't see why you'd change things now. (Sun)
- Meanwhile, Milan Michalek is still nursing his knee problem. (@NHL_Sens)
- Tonight's prediction panel is a Senators sweep. (Senators Extra)
- Daniel Alfredsson is a nice guy. He made sure to give the team's athletic therapists credit for getting him ready to go against Toronto. (Citizen)
- People have been calling for it for a while, but it looks like getting Sergei Gonchar back to his preferred right-point spot on the powerplay. (Sun)
- After one night's success, the Sens' website is calling Gonchar-Erik Karlsson a "lethal combination" on the powerplay. I hope so, but let's see if it continues before going too far. (NHL.com)
- Milks has an awesome historical column on the Citizen's Sens hub today. Awesome. (Senators Extra)
- Filip Kuba appears ready to return at some point this week. Won't be tonight, though. (ESPN)
- With the solid play of Barry Brust, Mike Brodeur has been sent to the ECHL for a conditioning assignment. Robin Lehner, though, is expected to play tomorrow in Montreal against the Hamilton Bulldogs. (Blogging the B-Sens)
- Speaking of the B-Sens, they'll be at the game tonight greeting fans at the gates. Crooklyn correctly pointed out that it seems like no matter what, Lehner can't leave Ottawa; between visa problems, team injuries, and promotional events, it seems like the fates are trying to tell us something... (@NHL_Sens)
- Gah... We've got to get Karlsson off Two and a Half Men. That's just embarrassing. (Sens)
- Derek Zona continues stepping up the mathematical analysis of team efficiency, this time doing it based on playoff berths. He told me Ottawa--at third-most efficient in the East--was the most surprising team in the East, in his opinion. (Copper & Blue)
- WTF? Ilya Kovalchuk, the same Ilya Kovalchuk who was scratched a game last week for missing a few team meetings, is now assistant captain on the New Jersey Devils. (Gazette)
- Bruins fans wonder if now is the time to trade their most valuable player. Seems a little dangerous. (Stanley Cup of Chowder)
- Cory Lavalette looks at the possibility of the Flames trading Jarome Iginla, and where to. I remember when Daniel Alfredsson was in that same position, and Sens fans were calling for him to be traded... (From the Rink)