Pascal Leclaire News: Pro Sports Daily

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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."

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."

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."

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 ..."

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 ..."

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."

Net letdown for Leclaire

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November 8

Ottawa Sun

"Pascal Leclaire's 27th birthday party was shaping up to be a dandy. He was beating his idol, Martin Brodeur, in a game that marked the 1,000th start of the future Hall of Famer's career. Leclaire had made great saves off Jamie Langenbrunner and Nicklas Bergfors, and two more that caused the shooters (Brian Rolston and Zach Parise) to look at the Scotiabank Place ceiling in disbelief. Those glances might have somehow weakened the concrete, because Leclaire was sailing along just nicely when the roof fell in on him at 4:38 of the third period Saturday night. "I thought the second goal was the turning point for them," Senators coach Cory Clouston said of a David Clarkson shot from a tough ..."

A young Leclaire was big fan of Brodeur

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November 7

Ottawa Citizen

"Perhaps Ottawa Sena-tors goaltender Pascal Leclaire was trying to make Martin Brodeur feel too good about himself. Maybe he was thinking the veteran New Jersey netminder would let down his guard when the teams meet at Scotiabank Place tonight. On Friday, after practice, Leclaire couldn't say enough about Brodeur, who is one shutout short of tying Terry Sawchuk's NHL record of 103, a mark that once seemed as secure as Wayne Gretzky's all-time points record. Once Leclaire got started on the topic of his goaltending idol, he was like a faucet, overflowing with praise about what Brodeur means to a legion of young Quebec goaltenders, about his upbeat personality, his athletic style in net and, ..."

First goal, Leclaire's hot hand add up to good results

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October 22

Ottawa Citizen

"The Ottawa Senators are making life easier for themselves by scoring first, but they're not fooling themselves. While they've now scored the first goal in six straight games, they know the results could be far different without the outstanding goaltending of Pascal Leclaire in the opening moments. What has been somewhat lost in the past two games, in which the Senators have outscored their opponents 10-2 with a 7-1 romp over Tampa Bay and a 3-1 victory over Montreal, is the fact Leclaire has kept opponents scoreless with the team beginning games slowly. In years past, the Senators haven't received those timely saves. "Obviously, it's a definite advantage when you score first," said Mike ..."

Leclaire-Fleury links go back a long way

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October 13

Ottawa Citizen

"Meet Pascal Leclaire, role model for Stanley Cup champion Marc-André Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Fleury was just starting his junior career with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Leclaire had already established himself as an East Coast star with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads. Leclaire, now 26, was a first-round draft selection (eighth overall) by the National Hockey League's Columbus Blue Jackets in 2001, and he won silver with Canada in the 2002 world junior championship. Fleury, now 24, was drafted first overall by the Penguins in 2003 and won -- you guessed it -- silver for Canada in the 2004 world junior championship. Since then, ..."

Leclaire looking forward to facing rival Leafs at ACC

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October 6

Toronto Sun

"While Pascal Leclaire got his first glimpse of the Battle of Ontario from afar last season, he's ready to step on to the battlefield tonight for real -- on enemy ice. With the Maple Leafs and Senators both looking for win No. 1 of the young season, it's likely tonight's game will feature plenty of intensity. The Senators won't confirm their starting goalie until today, but it's for games like this that GM Bryan Murray dealt for Leclaire. He has faced the Leafs only twice in his career and has a 3.56 goals-against average, with a .865 save percentage. "I'm looking forward to it. I was here last year when (the Leafs) came (to Ottawa) and the atmosphere in the rink was really special. It ..."