Blogs Off The Posts

Let’s see now. Craig Anderson has returned, Jared Cowen, Erik Karlsson and now even Jason Spezza, too.
If we see the old Milan Michalek in Game 3, the Senators should be in good shape.
Theories vary as to why the 35 goal scorer of a year ago has not been very productive this season. Mostly, we are told, his surgically repaired knee isn’t right. But I see his hands giving him more trouble than his legs.
Somebody mentioned today that Michalek was jumping into the dirty areas in front of the net, but without Jason Spezza to feed him when he got there, he wasn’t seeing the puck. After awhile, he stopped jumping.
Well tonight he gets Spezza back as his centre, with Cory Conacher on the other side. Perhaps it will help to his second goal of the playoffs – and just his sixth, in 31 games, this season.
I asked Paul MacLean is generally able to make the switch from left wing to right, where he’ll be tonight, relatively seamlessly.
In a nutshell, the coach said: “Because he’s a good player.”
He does get one of the better pay cheques.
Asked what he anticipates Spezza’s return will have on Michalek, MacLean said: “Sometimes when you get one player back, you get two back.”
I don’t think he meant it disrespectfully, or to suggest that until now, he’s been disappointed with every aspect of Michalek’s game. MacLean can rhyme off things Michalek does well. I don’t see enough of them, but I did notice improvement in Game 2.
The Michalek who used to be a goal scorer needs to show up tonight.
But the

I posted this earlier. Thought I should put it here. No it’s not a blog. It’s news.

PITTSBURGH – It wasn’t just the earthquake shifting the ground around Ottawa.

There’s a strong possibility Senators’ centre Jason Spezza could return to the lineup for Game 3 of the club’s playoff series Sunday night at Scotiabank Place against the Penguins.

Coach Paul MacLean told reporters Spezza is continuing to skate in Ottawa as he recovers from back surgery. A decision on whether he’ll play or not will be made after Sunday’s morning skate. This is the first time that MacLean hasn’t completely dismissed Spezza’s return.

A source told the Sun Spezza is targeting a Sunday return, but has to get clearance from the doctors.

“He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress,” said MacLean Friday. “We’ll go through practice (Saturday) and the pre-game skate and we’ll see where it is. If he’s available to us, it’s Jason Spezza, we’re going to have him in the lineup.”

The Senators will have an optional skate Saturday and Spezza will skate with that group.

“I know I’m going to be there to watch it,” said MacLean. “I might not be on the ice, but we’ll make a decision from there. I don’t know about all the medical hurdles but I’ll know more about that (Saturday).”

Spezza hasn’t suited up since Jan. 27.

The Senators are in Pittsburgh Friday for Game 2 of their conference semi-final series against the Penguins. Pittsburgh leads the series 1-0.

PITTSBURGH – The Senators shrugged off their Game 1 loss to the Penguins Tuesday.
They know special teams was the difference.
Asked by TSN about their defensive play, particularly a giveaway by Jared Cowen that led to Pittsburgh’s second goal, Erik Karlsson was not concerned.
“We want to make plays and we want to come out of our own end with the puck,” he said. “Sometimes shit happens.”
Asked later about the pushing and shoving that went on in the later stages, Karlsson went back to his new favorite expression.
“Ah, shit happens. Again,” he said. “It is what it is. I don’t think it is going to affect either of the teams going forward.”
Paul MacLean rightfully pointed to Ottawa’s 0-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-4 in penalty killing as the main reason for the loss.
“I think we need to be harder, and we need to be a little bit quicker,” he also said. “The good thing about that is we have the ability to do that.
“If we had any kind of stage freight or youthful jitters, that should be behind us. And now it’s up to us to make it series.”
—
What the Senators power play needs is Jason Spezza. MacLean said after the game his top centre skated for an hour and a half with the Black Aces back in Ottawa earlier in the day.
“Every day he skates is a step in progress for him,” said MacLeanI. “It will be evaluated as we move forward.”
An opinion: Don’t totally rule out the possibility of Spezza flying to Pittsburgh for Game 2.

PITTSBURGH _ I had an okay first round.

Right: Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and New York Rangers.
Wrong: San Jose, Detroit and Boston.
Better than .500 but still bad. I never ever should have taken the Leafs.
I thought the Canucks would be under the radar and win.
Brings us to Round 2

Chicago vs. Detroit: Tough test for the Hawks, but they’ve got Toews, Kane and Hossa. Plus a strong defence. Hawks in 6.

Kings vs. Sharks: Boy San Jose was impressive in the first round and the Kings got it done. I will say Sharks show they’ve got it. San Jose in 6

Rangers vs. Bruins: The Bruins sent the Leafs packing in style. They do it the hard way. Boston will win this in seven.

Penguins vs. Senators: Nobody is giving the Senators a chance. It will take great goaltending by Craig Anderson. Senators in six.

Come on gang get in here and give me your picks. Let me know how you did in the first round.

Sorry to see the Leafs go.

PITTSBURGH – First, let me say that if you happen to be heading this way for a game in this series – or any other reason – you should try the chilli at the Brown Bag Deli, which is behind the Marriott across the street from Consol Energy Center.
It’s 5 bucks and it’s the best I’ve had in a long time.
Secondly, I’d like to report that I had a word with Matt Cooke this morning. But it was brief.
This is the first time I’ve seen the Penguins winger since I wrote a column that got me a lot of nasty emails from Pittsburgh people. I’m still not sure why. I just wrote that Cooke said I have “no balls” – because I didn’t ask him to his face if he intentionally stomped on Erik Karlsson’s ankle in February. I felt I didn’t need to ask him as someone else did… but whatever. I certainly wasn’t hiding from him.
Anyway, I thought Cooke might have something to say to me today, because he had a lot to say that day, so I stayed in his scrum until everyone left. When it was just the two of us, I said hi Matt, how are you? He said: “I’m good.” And that was it.
It was probably a good decision on the part of both of us that we didn’t revisit that last conversation. There’s no need. The Karlsson thing is in the past. I think there was intent, or careless, and he says it was a “freak accident.”
The nice people at the Brown Bag believe the issue is not over, but they don’t understand why. They think it was “unintenional.” Karlsson, I firmly believe, does not.
Anyway, the decision I’m most curious about today is the one made by Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to start Tomas Vokoun in goal tonight. I know Marc-Andre Fleury was brutal in Round 1, and Vokoun saved their bacon. But Fleury is Pittsburgh’s best goalie. The Penguins are going to need him at some point. Why not start him in Game 1, while the team is at home at his team is jacked to start Round 2?
I know there’s two sides to the argument, but I think that’s what I would do if I was coach the Penguins.
Of course, that could be what the Senators coach wants too – for Fleury to be the goalie they have to beat.
Anyway, should be a very interesting game tonight. Enjoy.