Other than a bizarre split-squad exhibition scheduled with the New York Islanders on Sunday night, the Ottawa Senators have more or less made it through the preseason and can begin focusing their attention the eighty-two game regular season.
October's a pretty cruel month for the team, in terms of scheduling. They'll play eight of twelve on the road, a pair of back-to-backs, and against five games against what I think most people would consider top-notch competition: San Jose twice, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Chicago, with four of those games coming away from the Canadian Tire Centre.
The run of games lightens a bit after the opening twelve, but Paul MacLean's troops have to be ready to go by October 4th. They'll open the season up in Buffalo on Friday, then dart over to Toronto for a Hockey Night in Canada showdown.
For the most part, the team's made it through training camp unscathed, although we know a number of guys -- Eric Gryba, Patrick Wiercioch, Erik Karlsson, and Bobby Ryan -- have picked up minor bumps/bruises along the way. Gryba's appeared a bit more serious than the rest and he's missed a decent chunk of the exhibition schedule, but as of Saturday, he was skating with the main team -- a good sign that he's ready to return.
The only immediate concern right now is Jason Spezza, who is alleged to be dealing with some sort of strain at present time. He hasn't skated much, if at all, in the last week, and was not skating with the team on Saturday. MacLean made it a point to suggest that Spezza would be able to play if needed, and that the team was just being smart to address a minor injury before it becomes a major one.
This team needs their captain -- still sounds a bit odd after all these years -- in the lineup. He's their best forward, and just about everyone knows it.
For what it's worth, the lines on Saturday AM:
Michalek-Da Costa-Ryan
MacArthur-Turris-Conacher
Greening-Pageau-Neil
Smith-Zibanejad-Condra
xx
Kassian O'Brien Petersson
Back with more tomorrow.
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