Well despite some questionable offense, the Sens are still 3-1-0 to start the season and tonight will be the toughest game for the Sens to-date.

Everybody knows about the Pittsburgh Penguins, you know the team with Crosby-Malkin-Stall down the middle.

Yeah that's the one we're facing, however seeing as the Phoenix Coyotes stole a win over them, there's no reason the Sens can't.

Ottawa's wins so far are against the weaker of NHL clubs (Atlanta, NY Islanders and Toronto), making tonight’s game the perfect test for how far this version of the Ottawa Senators have come.

Last year the Penguins couldn't best the Senators in regulation, as Ottawa took the season series 3-0-1.

The new lines were more productive and the team seemed to have played a better all around game with these new combos, so tonight we get to see if this was because Atlanta wasn't good enough or if Cory Clouston has put together a solid depth system.

But of course tonight we get a small line-up change as Ryan Shannon is returning to the line-up, so Foligno will be swapped with Cheechoo tonight in an attempt to make a 3rd scoring line.
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Tonight’s line-up

Forwards:
Kovalev - Fisher - Alfredsson
Michalek - Spezza - Cheechoo
Foligno - Shannon - Neil
Ruutu - Kelly - Donovan

Defencemen:
Phillips - Volchenkov
Campoli - Karlsson
Picard - Carkner

Starting Goaltender:
Leclaire

Pittsburgh Penquins-

Forwards:
Kunitz - Crosby - Guerin
Fedotenko - Malkin - Dupuis
Cooke - Staal - Kennedy
Rupp - Adams - Godard

Defencemen:
Orpik - Gonchar
Eaton - Letang
McKee - Goligoski

Goaltender:
Fleury
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So far there still isn't a timetable for Kuba, Regin and Winchester to return to the line-up.

All the players are working out and striving towards a return, but if the Sens can keep winning, these 3 won't be rushed back into the line-up.
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The first installment of a new blog feature is coming this week, so Sens fans get ready.

And well like many others here in Canada, I'll be enjoying the game with my Thanksgiving Dinner.

So Happy Thanksgiving, and let’s see if the Sens can "cook" another bird.

Mark Christopher
M_Christopher@live.ca

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