Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

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November 20

Ottawa Citizen

"For 799 career games with the Senators, Chris Phillips has earned a reputation as one of the NHL's steadiest defenders — not flashy, but capable of shutting down a top scorer. For game No. 800, Phillips decided to have a little fun, scoring twice, his first multi-goal game in eight years, to complete a 6-2 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Senators carried a 2-1 lead into the third period of what had been a tight, defensive game, but they broke through with three goals in the third to chase Canadian Olympic candidate goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and a final goal against backup Brent Johnson. Beating a contending teams' starts with outworking them. The Senators did that for a full ..."

Sens brass revisit ticket price structure

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November 20

Ottawa Sun

columnist Chris Steveson

"The crowd of 17,039 at Scotiabank Place for the visit by the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins last night was the second smallest of the year after the Penguins first visit (17,014, Oct. 12) and isn't going to help the Senators' average attendance figure this season. But, hey, as Senators president Cyril Leeder pointed out yesterday, "winning is the best marketing tonic." A convincing win over the Cup champs — even with a decimated Pittsburgh blue line — was a positive step for the Senators, representing one of their best wins of the season against a quality opponent. But you can't win them all, so Leeder said the club is closely examining its ticket pricing policies to try and make ..."

Phillips Pens sweet memory

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November 20

Ottawa Sun

"Chris Phillips played his own version of Crazy Eights last night. Suiting up for the 800th game of his NHL career, the Senators defenceman led the attack in a 6-2 victory over Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the defending Stanley Cup-champion Penguins in front of 17,039 at Scotiabank Place with his first two-goal performance in nearly eight years. Phillips, who scored twice on Nov. 22, 2001 against the Flames, chipped in with career goals 53 and 54 to help the Senators put together their first back-to-back victories since Oct. 17. "It feels good. When you're not expected to do that, it feels good for sure," said Phillips, who scored twice in a span of 2:03 in the third period. ..."

Sens lose both Kovalev, Donovan

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November 20

Ottawa Sun

"The Senators are hoping they will be without winger Alex Kovalev for just one game. Kovalev missed practice today and will miss tomorrow's game against the Buffalo Sabres as he returned to Russia following the death of his mother-in-law. "We hope to have him back, in the best case, for Monday," when the Senators host Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, said Senators coach Cory Clouston. "It could possibly be that early, but we understand if it takes longer." Kovalev played almost 17 minutes in the 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night and Clouston said he admired Kovalev's determination to put personal issues aside. Kovalev has found some chemistry with Mike Fisher ..."

Ottawa pulls away from Pens in third period

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November 20

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Odds would favor just about anything happening over 522 minutes and 25 seconds of game-time hockey action. Just about everything including the Penguins scoring a power-play goal on the road. They finally did that Thursday night late in a 6-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place. Center Evgeni Malkin's score on their fifth advantage opportunity was their first on the road in a span of 522:25 dating to captain Sidney Crosby's goal at 14:31 of the second period in a win at Toronto on Oct. 10, when a 3-for-5 power play performance capped a 5-for-10 effort in two games. Malkin's fifth goal and first in six games rendered the Penguins 1 for 33 on the road since, including 1-for-5 last ..."

Penguins fall in Ottawa, 6-2

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November 20

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The early news for the Penguins was pretty good. Likely could not have been any better. After all, Sergei Gonchar and Max Talbot were back in the lineup. Mark Eaton was able to play. Then, Jordan Staal gave them a lead 69 seconds after the opening faceoff. It is what followed -- virtually all of it -- that was so disappointing. And which made Ottawa's 6-2 victory at Scotiabank Place possible. After a few strong shifts by the Penguins, the Senators began to control play, consistently getting the puck behind the Penguins' defense and getting control of it. That allowed Ottawa to dictate the pace of play, and prevented the Penguins (14-8) from getting into anything resembling a good rhythm. ..."

Senators' Kovalev en route to Russia after death in family

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November 19

Ottawa Citizen

"Ottawa Senators winger Alexei Kovalev was en route to Russian Thursday afternoon and would miss at least Thursday night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to a report. TSN said on its Web site Thursday that Kovalev was headed overseas after his mother-in-law died."

Let's not get Carried away

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November 19

Ottawa Citizen

"Singer Carrie Underwood says she won't be moving in with boyfriend Mike Fisher in the near future. And that's fine with Fisher. "No, call me old-fashioned. He's there. I'm here," Underwood said on The Ellen Degeneres Show that aired Wednesday. "We're both doing our thing and it's good. The next guy I move in with will be my hubby. Whoever that is. I'm not saying it's going to be him." Fisher confirmed to the Citizen through an Ottawa Senators spokesman that he is not moving in with Underwood. However, he did want to say that he and Underwood are "very happy together." Underwood and the Ottawa Senators forward have dated for more than a year after being introduced by one of her band ..."

Fisher adds goal scoring to repertoire

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November 19

Ottawa Citizen

"Here's a stat that will have you rubbing your eyes: If Mike Fisher keeps scoring at the pace he's on -- nine goals in 18 games -- he'll finish this season with 41 goals. That would be almost double the number he has scored in any other season. Not that there's any desire to jinx Fisher, but after so many years of wondering whether this season or the next one would be the breakthrough year that everyone was expecting of him, it's hard to believe it may be upon us. Whether it's his partnership with linemates Alex Kovalev and Nick Foligno, or his relationship with Carrie Underwood (who on Wednesday morning was again gushing about her hockey-playing boyfriend on The Ellen DeGeneres Show), ..."

Leclaire gets the nod against Penguins

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November 19

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators are sticking with the same lineup that got them a win earlier this week, which means Pascal Leclaire will start in goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins Thursday. Leclaire has struggled of late, but was spectacular in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. He turned aside 30 shots on the night, including 15 in the third period. He'll need to be good again against the likes of Penguins centres Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin."

A-Train not ready to return

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November 19

Ottawa Sun

"It looks like the Senators will have to make do without top defensive defenceman Anton Volchenkov for another week. The A Train was expected to practise with this teammates Wednesday as he makes his way back from a dislocated elbow he suffered Oct. 28 against the Florida Panthers, but he has suffered a setback. "It didn't respond a couple of day ago as well as we thought," said Senators coach Cory Clouston earlier today. "There's a little more soreness in there. We wished, we hoped he'd be ready to play this weekend, but that's not looking like the case. Mid-week is probably what we're looking at." The Senators have missed Volchenkov, who, when paired with veteran Chris Phillips, makes up ..."

Alfie salutes former rival

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November 18

Ottawa Sun

"Much of the sizzle surrounding the Battle of Ontario earlier this decade surrounded the matchup between the respective Swedish captains -- Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators and Mats Sundin of the Maple Leafs. For the first time for more than a decade, Sundin did not participate in the provincial rivalry last season, sitting out half the season, then bolting to Vancouver to finish up the year with the Canucks. And now, with Sundin having hung up the blades back in September, Alfredsson is reflective on the impact his fellow countryman left on the NHL."

Fisher leads Sens to 3-2 win over wounded Leafs

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November 18

Ottawa Citizen

"The way some in the Leafs organization talk of it, this roster we're seeing now is just a phase the organization is going through. Sort of like middle-age crazy. For example, when second-year Toronto head coach Ron Wilson is asked if he has put his "stamp" on this club, he says: "Not yet. I don't want to be known as a loser." Not exactly the kind of message to fire up the troops on the day of a big game against the Senators, but that's Wilson, talking as though he's just warming up until the real Leafs roster arrives. Temporary or not, this Leafs group gave the Senators fits at times, and might have won if goaltender Vesa Toskala could have caught up with one or two Mike Fisher shots, and ..."

Leclaire stops Leafs cold

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November 18

Ottawa Sun

"The Battle of Ontario was alive and kicking Tuesday night. So was Pascal Leclaire. The Senators goaltender kicked the rival Toronto Maple Leafs when they're down with a sparkling 30-save performance in a hard-fought, hard-hitting, 3-2 victory in front of only 17,406 at Scotiabank Place. It might have been the first time in the history of the rivalry the building wasn't filled. Those who didn't show up missed a two-goal performance by Mike Fisher, two assists from Alexei Kovalev and Milan Michalek's eighth goal of the season. Though there was plenty to smile about, nobody was wearing a wider grin than Leclaire. He came up huge in the third period with big stops off Alexei Ponikarovsky, ..."

Sens' Leclaire quiets doubters

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November 18

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs hit Pascal Leclaire's throat, the goal post and the cross bar -- everything but the back of the net. Such was the frustration in the final 20 minutes for the visitors, who could not find a way to tie the score in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators last night at Scotiabank Place. "I felt pretty good," Leclaire said afterward. "It was a fun game. It was easy to get into it because the crowd gets so loud. I don't know if it was my best game but I managed to make some good saves." None better than the one midway through the third period off Leafs forward Nikolai Kulemin."

Leafs bemoan turnovers in loss to Senators

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November 18

Toronto Star

"It's officially broken record time with the Leafs. The last-place team is now very practiced at repeating the same refrains after each loss. Take Tuesday night's 3-2 loss in Ottawa, for example. Toronto fought desperately to tie the game, outshooting Ottawa 15-4 in the final period, and otherwise did everything within their abilities to stave off yet another setback."

Leafs sabotage themselves

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November 18

Toronto Star

"It's officially broken record time with the Leafs. The last-place team is now very practiced at repeating the same refrains after each loss. Take Tuesday night's 3-2 loss in Ottawa, for example. Toronto fought desperately to tie the game, outshooting Ottawa 15-4 in the final period, and otherwise did everything within their abilities to stave off yet another setback."

Leclaire back in goal against Leafs

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November 17

Ottawa Citizen

"Ryan Shannon and Peter Regin will sit as the Ottawa Senators take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place tonight. In their place, Jesse Winchester and Shean Donovan will play. Pascal Leclaire will be back in goal for the Senators, after Brian Elliott was in for the last game against the Rangers. "Pascal's our No. 1 goalie," said coach Cory Clouston."

Senators make changes

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November 17

Ottawa Sun

"Peter Regin will be taking a seat for the Battle of Ontario. The Senators centre, who doesn't have a point in nine straight games and has been serving as the club's third-line centre, is going to be a healthy scratch for tonight's game at Scotiabank Place. Centre Jesse Winchester will return to the lineup. That won't be the only switch that coach Cory Clouston will make. Winger Nick Foligno is going to skate with Alexei Kovalev and Mike Fisher. "We've just got to bury our chances," said centre Mike Fisher. "Hopefully we can start finding the net and getting that confidence back." The Senators say they are ready for the challenge of facing the Leafs."

Alfredsson plan to retire with Sens

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November 17

Ottawa Citizen

"There were times during his 15 years as a member of the Ottawa Senators that Daniel Alfredsson wondered if it might be a good idea to move on to another team. There were also times, he says, when the team would have wondered the same. But having come this far, and after singing an extension last year that will take him through the 2012-13 season, Alfredsson can't see himself ever wearing a different NHL uniform. He'll win or lose with the Senators, he said on Monday, even if it means he could end his career without winning a Stanley Cup. The temptation to move will certainly be there. Soon to be 37 (on Dec. 11), Alfredsson would love to win a Stanley Cup to go with the Olympic gold medal ..."

Bore of Ontario needs a jolt of playoff action

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November 17

Ottawa Citizen

"The Battle of Ontario isn't exactly dead. It is merely comatose, dormant like a once mighty volcano, capable of erupting again, possibly as early as Tuesday night when the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs meet at Scotiabank Place. Ottawa took the opener of the provincial series in Toronto on Oct. 6, a 2-1 game decided on a goal by winger Daniel Alfredsson. The Senators captain noted on Monday that while the rivalry is not what it was when the Leafs featured Mats Sundin, Tie Domi and Darcy Tucker (and Ottawa had Zdeno Chara, Marian Hossa . . .), all it will take is another Battle of Ontario playoff series to fuel the passions again. "You throw everything you have at each other . . . ..."

Capital pains

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November 17

Toronto Sun

columnist Mike Zeisberger

"With a horde of media types scrunched around him, a candid Mike Fisher, tongue planted firmly in cheek, offered a recipe for success for his Ottawa Senators against the hated Maple Leafs tonight. Muzzle the fans. No big revelation here. Road teams always come into hostile barns attempting to silence leather-lunged throngs, especially early in games. Except this time, this critical instalment of the Battle of Ontario is being played at Scotiabank Place, the Sens' home rink. "It's going to be a battle," Fisher said, tongue in cheek. "If we can take the crowd out of it early on, we can keep going." Fisher's quip is met with a chorus of laughter from local reporters. Just one question: ..."

Tough goalie decision for Clouston

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November 16

Ottawa Citizen

"Ottawa Senators coach Cory Clouston has "probably" decided who will be in goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night but he won't announce his choice until after the morning skate. It makes for an interesting debate. Pascal Leclaire is the No. 1 goalie but has allowed a number of soft goals lately, while backup Brian Elliott played well in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Rangers on Saturday. The guessing, however, is that Leclaire will be in net. The Battle of 0ntario, meanwhile, isn't what it used to be, with both teams struggling, but emotions still run high, especially among the many Toronto fans in Ottawa."

Leclaire likely to start

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November 16

Ottawa Sun

"Pascal Leclaire might not be at the top of his game these days, but expect him to get the call in the Ottawa net Tuesday when the Senators meet the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ottawa coach Cory Clouston doesn't name his starter until game day, but expect to see Leclaire make the start against the struggling Maple Leafs. He is the club's No. 1 backstop and there is no reason to start a goaltending controversy at this stage of the campaign. Brian Elliott has played well, including his performance Saturday in a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers, but the thinking is the Senators want to give Leclaire a chance to get into a groove. "We're confident. It's a long season," said Clouston. "Both ..."

Schedule about to get hairy for Senators

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November 16

Ottawa Citizen

"Success sure is fleeting in the National Hockey League these days. One minute a team is flirting with the division lead, the next it's slipping further and further down the ladder. Such is the case with the Ottawa Senators, who jumped out to a promising start in October and have been trying to recapture their early momentum ever since. The latest setback was a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers Saturday, a game they should have won. Ottawa outshot New York 25-16 through two periods and had a golden opportunity to put the game away with an overtime power play. As a result, the Senators are now 3-4-3 in their past 10 games and are starting to lose ground. While they're putting in a ..."

Senators missing the point

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November 16

Ottawa Sun

"The Senators are firing blanks in the NHL shootout. The problem isn't new. While the club is 1-2 this season after Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers, the Senators are ranked 30th, dead-last, since the shootout was put in place in 2005-06. With a 12-25 lifetime record, the Senators have won just 32% of their shootout games. The Calgary Flames rank 29th in the NHL, with a 12-18 career shootout record. On the other hand, the New Jersey Devils are tops, with a 36-18 record. To sum it up: Horrible. Certainly, no laughing matter. "I don't know who is laughing. I know we're not. We know it's important," said Senators goalie Brian Elliott. "Come the end of the year, those are ..."

L'Artiste without a muse

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November 15

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators committed two years and $10 million to winger Alex Kovalev this summer, hoping for a masterpiece of an offensive season. So far, the enigmatic star has four goals and four assists in 16 games, which puts him on pace for 41 points this season. He's also sporting a minus-7 rating, within shouting distance of the league basement. To make matters worse, the man they call L'Artiste is working without his canvas. Two years ago, he led the National Hockey League in power-play points with 47. Last season, 32 of his 65 points came with the man advantage. Ottawa has had fewer power-play opportunities than any other team (52) this year, including just three over the past three ..."

Shut down in shootout

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November 15

Ottawa Citizen

"For the Ottawa Senators, the visiting Rangers might have been just about what the good team doctors had ordered. New York was struggling on the road, losers of eight of their past 11 games overall, and still missing two vital centres, Chris Drury and Brandon Dubinsky, with injuries. Trying to capitalize on a lopsided early home ice schedule (but now just 5-3-3 at home), the Senators had to have this game, but let it get away, failing to convert on a 4-on-3 overtime power play and having to look Henrik "Hank" Lundqvist in the eye in the shootout. Even then, the Senators put two shootout shots past the sterling Swedish goaltender, while the Rangers had three on Brian Elliott in the Ottawa ..."

Leclaire confident despite recent woes

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November 14

Ottawa Citizen

"Pascal Leclaire knew he was coming to a pressure-filled hockey market when the Ottawa Senators traded for him last season. Now he's learning what it's like to play in a goalie graveyard that's still haunted by nightmares about the spirit-crushing soft goals of the past. While it's too early to assess Leclaire's contribution to the Senators after just 13 games, fans who have awoken in a cold sweat shouting "Gerber!" can be forgiven for wondering why Leclaire is letting in so many stinkers lately. Neither Leclaire nor his coach has figured that out yet, but both are confident a solution can be found. "I think I had a pretty good start, and then maybe last week I had some ups and downs, but ..."

L'Artiste without a muse

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November 14

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators committed two years and $10 million to winger Alex Kovalev this summer, hoping for a masterpiece of an offensive season. So far, the enigmatic star has four goals and four assists in 16 games, which puts him on pace for 41 points this season. He's also sporting a minus-7 rating, within shouting distance of the league basement. To make matters worse, the man they call L'Artiste is working without his canvas. Two years ago, he led the National Hockey League in power-play points with 47. Last season, 32 of his 65 points came with the man advantage. Ottawa has had fewer power-play opportunities than any other team (52) this year, including just three over the past three ..."

Emery, Flyers win big against Senators

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November 13

Ottawa Citizen

"Ray Emery closed another door on his colourful, and often notorious, past when he faced and defeated his former Ottawa Senator teammates here on Thursday night. Even if it didn't take much to beat them, it was one more psychological hurdle, one more step in Emery's rehabilitation, and it ended just the way he wanted. The Flyers embarrassed the Senators, who dematerialized in the third period as the Flyers scored three goals to break open a game that was still up for grabs after two. The questions might just now shift to the guy who has Emery's old job in Ottawa: Pascal Leclaire. He hasn't inspired much confidence recently, with the soft goals he's allowed, and didn't do anything to change ..."

It's all good for Emery

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November 13

Ottawa Sun

"The closest the Senators came to giving former teammate Ray Emery a knockout punch was when defenceman Chris Campoli knocked his mask off with a shot late in the third period. Emery was the one left standing after helping his Flyers to a 5-1 win. "As long as it hits the helmet, it's all right," said Emery after the game. "The boys played a very strong, solid defensive game And they buried their chances. I knew I just had to do my job. It is a good situation." The only shot that beat him was backhander by Ottawa's Mike Fisher on the power play to make it 2-1 in the second period. It's all good for Emery these days. While admitting facing his former teammates is significant, he said before ..."

Rayzor's got the edge

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November 13

Ottawa Sun

"On Soft Pretzel Night at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers twisted up the Senators and dined out on the holes. The result was a rough night for Ottawa goaltender Pascal Leclaire in the 5-1 loss and a win for former Senators goaltender Ray Emery, who had a relatively easy night against his former teammates. You can probably expect to see Brian Elliott in the Senators goal tomorrow afternoon when they host the Rangers. Penalties were again an issue as the Flyers got a pair of second-period power-play goals for a 2-1 lead and then blew it open in the third with a local touch to the onslaught as Gatineau's Daniel Briere sandwiched goals around one by Kanata's Darroll Powe to put the Flyers in ..."

Flyers rout Ottawa for fifth straight win

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November 13

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ray Emery defeated his former teammates, but the Flyers goalie was upstaged by two players who returned from injuries - Danny Briere and James van Riemsdyk - and combined for three goals in last night's 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. With 19,321 watching at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers registered their fifth consecutive win and scored two goals on their league-best power play. The winning streak matches their longest since last December. The Flyers, just as they had promised, did a good job protecting Emery in his first appearance against Ottawa. They allowed only 23 shots and few good chances, pulling away from a 2-1 lead with three unanswered goals in the final period - two by ..."

Emery, Briere lead Flyers over Ottawa for fifth straight win

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November 13

Philadelphia Daily News

"THE OTTAWA Senators were so focused on beating former teammate Ray Emery that they forgot about a player who hasn't figured into any of the Flyers' last four wins. In fact, Danny Briere hadn't played at all in the last 16 days with a lower quad injury in his right leg. Last night, Briere picked up where he left off with linemates Jeff Carter and James van Riemsdyk. He scored two third-period goals to take the pressure off Emery and help carry the Flyers to a 5-1 victory over Ottawa in a circus-type, overly hyped game at the Wachovia Center. It was the Flyers' fifth consecutive win. Emery, facing the Senators for the first time since he was run out of town and exiled to play in Russia in ..."

Shannon and Leclaire will play for Senators against Flyers

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November 12

Ottawa Citizen

"Ryan Shannon will be in and Jesse Winchester and Shean Donovan will sit as the Ottawa Senators take on Ray Emery and the Philadelphia Flyers here tonight. The Flyers, with 19 points, are one point ahead of the Senators. Pascal Leclaire will be in goal for the Senators as Emery prepares to face his former teammates."

Sens' value takes a hit

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November 12

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators have fallen in Forbes Magazine's ranking of the value of NHL teams, and in a way their new rank -- 17th place -- is fitting. It's a league in which 16 teams make the playoffs, and the fact that the Senators failed to crack that group last year goes a long way in explaining why Forbes is much less bullish on the team, downgrading the Senators from 13th a year ago. Of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who also finished nowhere near the playoffs, are still, far and away, the most valuable team in the NHL, according to Forbes. Outside of Toronto there is still a relationship between on-ice success and the bottom line, however, and the Senators took a hit for an off season. ..."

Clouston hits 50th game running

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November 12

Ottawa Citizen

"There are two simple ways to assess Cory Clouston's effect on the Ottawa Senators as he steps behind the bench in Philadelphia Thursday night for his 50th game as a National Hockey League head coach. There are the intangibles (a sense of team inclusiveness and a strong work ethic), and the tangibles (pure numbers). The man once dubbed the "baby-faced drill sergeant" took a group that had stumbled out to a 17-24-7 start last season on a 19-11-4 run, racking up points at a pace that would have put it well into the playoff picture. He also had the Senators (8-5-2) one point out of the division lead this year heading into Wednesday night's slate of games. If you're a glass-half-empty kind of ..."

Volchenkov not ready to return

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November 12

Ottawa Sun

"Senators defenceman Anton Volchenkov skated hard before his teammates practised at the Bell Sensplex Wednesday morning. It looks like he's going to be doing that a little longer than anticipated. After working out with assistant coach Luke Richardson, Volchenkov told Sun Media that he doesn't expect to be back for another two weeks or "one week and a half," at least. When Volchenkov originally dislocated his right elbow when Kamil Kreps of the Panthers fell on him in a game Oct. 29, it was projected Volchenkov would be out for a couple of weeks and it's going to be at least that. It might even be closer to a month, based on the way "The A-Train" was feeling Wednesday. "It still hurts to ..."

Emery changes tune, admits Ottawa game is big

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November 12

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Speaking to a Canadian TV interviewer who was at the Skate Zone in Voorhees yesterday, Flyers goalie Ray Emery conceded that facing his former team, Ottawa, was a very big deal for him. Earlier in the week, the once-scorned goalie - he was released by Ottawa after a series of on- and off-ice incidents - had downplayed tonight's matchup against the visiting Senators. "I definitely had this circled on my calendar," admitted Emery, who played in Russia last season because no NHL teams wanted him. "It's a good way to ease into things, and won't be as hectic as in Ottawa." Emery and his teammates will play in Ottawa on Jan. 3. The Flyers, winners of four straight, know how much tonight's game ..."

Spezza says Emery doing great with Flyers

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November 12

Philadelphia Daily News

"There are few players who know Ray Emery better than Ottawa sniper Jason Spezza. The Flyers are taking on the Senators tonight, Emery's former team, and Spezza was the first name Emery blurted out when mentioning the players he was looking forward to seeing. Emery was in Spezza's wedding party this summer and the two lived together for a year in Binghamton. They were often shuttling back and forth between the minors when their careers were just getting started, after being a part of the same draft class in 2001. Like most of the players who witnessed the Emery drama firsthand in Canada's capital city, Spezza thought that the traffic stops, tardiness and fighting at practice were overblown. ..."

Senators happy for Emery

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November 11

Ottawa Sun

"They know better than most what Ray Emery went through during his tumultuous stay here in Ottawa. His former Senators teammates -- whom Emery faces tomorrow night in Philadelphia for the first time -- have run through a long list feelings and reactions about to Emery's run with the club. But they are not surprised at Emery's rehabilitation of both his reputation and career (so far) with the Philadelphia Flyers after a year of exile in Russia. "I'm really not surprised," said Senators defenceman Chris Phillips, a teammate of Emery's through his entire time with the club including the run to the 2007 Stanley Cup final. "It comes down to talent and Ray was one of the most athletic goaltenders ..."

Sens trounce Oilers in SO

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November 11

Edmonton Journal

"Dustin Penner gave the Ottawa Senators fans a sneak peek at what they're missing and Andrew Cogliano skated quick miles in his best game in six weeks as both players made points as residue of the Dany Heatley trade that wasn't. Unfortunately, the Edmonton Oilers didn't get two points of their own on Tuesday. As industriously as the Oilers played, finally outshooting a team for the first time since opening night, and after getting yeoman work from captain Ethan Moreau, who had five shots and scored, Edmonton still fell 4-3 to the Senators in a shootout at Scotiabank Place. As hard as the Oilers played, they needed Gilbert Brule's fortuitous bounce off Ottawa goalie Pascal Leclaire's arm ..."

Oilers snake-bitten in Ottawa

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November 11

Edmonton Sun

"Perhaps outshooting opponents isn't the best way to go. Last night the Edmonton Oilers played arguably their best road game of the season, yet came up short in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators. Jason Spezza scored the winner in the shootout as his effort hit the post then banked off goaltender Jeff Deslauriers into the net. "Our overall game was pretty good," said Oilers head coach Pat Quinn. "I don't like the goals that went in on us. I had a problem with how the last one (third) went in for sure, because there was interference on our goaltender and it was offside as well. "I guess you have to live with that stuff, but it makes it hard. But it was probably our best three periods ..."

Senators squeeze past Oilers in shootout

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November 11

Ottawa Citizen

"In late October, Pascal Leclaire was a shadow of his former self, dropping a good 10 pounds while fighting the flu. Now that he's back to full health, the Ottawa Senators needed their number one goaltender to stop fighting the puck. Leclaire entered Tuesday's game against the Edmonton Oilers aiming to rediscover the form he showcased in the first couple of the weeks — not the game with the holes he had displayed against the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Atlanta Thrashers, uneven efforts which had resulted in his save percentage dipping below the .900 mark. Leclaire was also trying to erase some personal bad memories. The last time he faced the Oilers, before his ankle surgery, ..."

Spezza nets shootout winner

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November 11

Ottawa Sun

"Even an ugly win can be a thing of beauty. On a night winger Jonathan Cheechoo finally scored his first goal in an Ottawa uniform, Jason Spezza was the hero, scoring the winner in a 4-3 shootout decision over the Edmonton Oilers. Chris Neil and Nick Foligno also scored for the Senators, while goaltender Pascal Leclaire made 31 stops in regulation. Spezza, the third Senator in the shootout, tucked it underneath Jeff Deslauriers after a deke. "I kind of committed to my move early, I wasn't really too concerned what he was going to do because we don't know him too well," said Spezza. "I just got in my mind what I wanted to do and tried to execute. I think it went of the post. "They play a ..."

Leclaire gets the nod

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November 10

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators will go with Pascal Leclaire in goal Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers. Leclaire is coming off a loss to the New Jersey Devils Saturday, a game in which the Senators gave up three straight power play goals to fall 3-2. Other lineup moves include Jesse Winchester coming out and Ryan Shannon going in. Coach Cory Clouston said he expected a disciplined, hard-working game from his squad against a banged-up Oilers team."

Senators change things up

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November 10

Ottawa Sun

"The Senators are making some lineup changes tonight to try and salvage at least a .500 record as they wrap up a four-game home stand. Coach Cory Clouston doesn't have a lot of options, but with his team coming off a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils Saturday at Scotiabank Place, he will insert Ryan Shannon in Jesse Winchester's spot tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. The Senators have a win and two losses in the first three games of their home stint. Winchester made his return against the Devils after being out with a right knee injury, then spending two weeks on a conditioning stint in Binghamton. But Clouston feels the club needs to get Shannon going. He skated with Jonathan Cheechoo ..."

We have to add player: Sens GM

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November 10

Ottawa Citizen

"Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray is pleased with his team's performance this season, but he isn't done tinkering yet. "We have to make a tweak if we can," Murray said Monday before heading to Toronto, where the National Hockey League's 30 general managers are meeting this week to discuss head shots, rule changes, equipment standards and maybe a deal or two. "Very definitely, we have to find a way to get at least one more player here," he said, acknowledging that player would probably be another forward. "I'm certainly going to investigate as we go forward here to see if there's anything more we can do, and at some point we'll figure out if we need to make a change." The ..."

What might have been

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November 10

Ottawa Citizen

"I've got a good life now I've moved on So when you cross my mind I try not to think about What might have been 'Cause that was then And we have taken different roads We can't go back again There's no use giving in And there's no way to know What might have been — What Might Have Been, By Little Texas Dustin Penner says the above song neatly sums up his attitude about the trade that never happened to the Ottawa Senators. If Dany Heatley had accepted the first trade Senators general manager Bryan Murray had arranged — remember, Heatley wanted "more options" — Penner, Andrew Cogliano and Ladislav Smid would be wearing Senators colours today. Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo would still be ..."

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