will revenge be on their minds?

Posted by Gord Wilson on March 22, 2008

Greetings  everyone from   ScotiaBank Place, on  this  game  day for the Senators.  They  host  the Leafs tonight, in  game  7 of the  8 game  season  long series.  A series  that is  tied at   3 wins each.  Ottawa  took the first three games,  and for the  first time since   the Senators  first  year in the NHL, the Leafs  have  won   3  straight  against  Ottawa. 

I ask  about  revenge  on the minds of the  Senators, because the last  time  these  two  clubs  met in the  Nation's Capital,  on February 25th, the  Leafs scored a  5-nothing  win.  In fact, of the  three  wins  Toronto has against the Senators...  2 have been by way of  the  shutout.  Vesa  Toskala has  been the  goaltender of record in  5 of the 6 games these two clubs have met,,, he's  3 and 2  this year against  Ottawa, and  he's  expected to get the  call again  tonight.  If  he does, it will be his  27th consecutive start.  Toskala  and the Leafs are coming off an impressive  4-1 win over the Sabres in Buffalo  last night. Toronto has now won  5 straight  road  games.  However, this will be  their  fourth straight  game  they'll play  without   Mats Sundin. He's still  bothered by a  groin  injury.

As  for  the Senators,  well,  coming  off a  much needed 3-2  win over the Blues on Thursday.  Tonight's game is the  first of  8 straight   against  teams  from the  North East  Division.  Senators are  16  and 8 this year  against teams from their own division.

Chris  Neil returns  to the  Ottawaa lineup  tonight.  He's  missed the last  12 games with a knee injury. Neil  is expected to play on a line with   Fisher, and  Stillman.  That  means  Daniel Alfredsson  gets re-united with  Jason Spezza and  Dany Heatley.

Lines  3 and 4  remain  unchanged.  Vermette, Kelly and  Lapointe, and  Schubert with McAmmond, and Donovan.   It looks like  Randy Robitaille is the odd man out tonight.

No changes to the  defence pairings...and  Martin  Gerber starts in goal, for te  10th consecutive game.

Face off time is 7 o'clock,  this one can be heard all along the  Team 1200 radio network,with yours truly, and  Dean Brown.

enjoy everyone.

cheers, gord