Chris Anderson gave up six goals on 33 shots in Ottawa's 6-2 Game 5 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday night.
Anderson, just like his teammates, found the Penguins' high-flying attack too difficult to contain, giving up 20 goals -- 12 over the last two games -- in the series. A far from ideal playoffs should not take away from the brilliant season he had, though 21-year-old Robin Lehner is lurking and more than capable of handling the full-time load. Starting with coach Paul MacLean, there's a lot to like about the Senators moving forward and the goaltending situation is certainly one of them.

Kyle Turris scored and assisted for the Senators as their season came to an end with a 6-2 loss in Game 5 of their second-round series with the Penguins on Friday night.
Turris had a team-leading six postseason goals. The Senators were overwhelmed and overmatched against the Penguins in this series, but they were never quitters. Even though they were outscored 21-11, coach Paul MacLean's group never gave up and that was a trait of this team the entire season. Milan Michalek potted the other marker, with Jared Cowen, Colin Greening and Jason Spezza picking up helpers. Chris Neil and Turris each had four penalty minutes.

Cory Conacher is playing for the Senators on Friday night.
With Mark Stone hurt, Conacher gets another chance in the lineup with Ottawa's season on the line. Conacher didn't play in Game 4, and he has three goals in seven playoff games this season, though he has notched just one shot on goal over his last three contests.

Mark Stone did not make the trip to Pittsburgh for Game 5 because of an undisclosed injury.
Stone was injured in Game 4 on Wednesday, his playoff debut. The 21-year-old played 11:23 and had two shots on goal. Matt Kassian and Cory Conacher took pregame line rushes, so one of them will draw back into the lineup.

Daniel Alfredsson feels his comment about the Senators not being able to rally from a 3-1 series deficit against Pittsburgh was taken out of context.
"Maybe I should have continued right away where I left off in my answer," he said. "I don't doubt for one second that we'll come out with a great effort (Friday night). It sounds like I had given up. If you ask anyone and they look at our series, I don't think there are too many people that would pick us right now. That's what I meant. We're still in the playoffs. It doesn't matter to me which way it's looked at. The guys in this room know enough about me. I believe in these guys ... I'm not going to change anything in how it's said. It's obvious to me that we're in tough." Anyone who said Alfredsson had given up went a little overboard, but he clearly understands that the Senators have their backs against the wall against a talented team.

Obviously, Craig Anderson will be between the pipes for Ottawa Friday night in Game 5 at Pittsburgh.
He allowed six goals on 38 shots in a 7-3 loss to the Penguins on Wednesday night and was pulled for the second time in the series, but he was excellent in the first period and helped the Senators steal Game 3 in double overtime. Coach Paul MacLean said there was no question in his mind that Anderson would play in Game 5. Ottawa will attempt to avoid playoff elimination in the contest.

Erik Karlsson collected two assists and five shots in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
The supremely talented defenseman had been struggling in his previous three matches against the Penguins in the series. Going into Wednesday's contest, Karlsson had no points, eight shots, six penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating after he looked very good versus Montreal in the first round of the playoffs.

Andre Benoit picked up an assist Wednesday night.
In four playoff appearances with Ottawa, he has contributed three helpers. Benoit also owns a plus-4 rating while seeing nearly 16 minutes of ice time per game.

Kyle Turris potted his team-leading fifth goal of the postseason in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
His tally gave the Senators a 2-1 lead after the first period, the Penguins poured it on in the next two frames to put Ottawa on the brink of elimination. Turris has five goals and seven points in nine playoff contests after he recorded 12 markers and 29 points during 48 regular season games.

Milan Michalek scored in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh for the first time since Game 2 of the opening round against Montreal.
He busted through the Penguins' defense to score a shorthanded marker early in the first period. Michalek has two points in last two games and four in nine total playoff outings.

Mark Stone registered two shots in 11:23 of ice time for the Senators in Game 4 versus Pittsburgh.
Stone hadn't played in the NHL since early March when he skated in four contests with Ottawa. He replaced Cory Conacher, who sat as a healthy scratch, in the lineup.

Daniel Alfredsson isn't confident that Ottawa can come back from a 3-1 series deficit against Pittsburgh.
When he was asked if the Senators can win three straight games over the Penguins he said, "Probably not. I mean, with their depth and power play right now, it doesn't look too good for us." He believes the team will try their hardest in Game 5 Friday night back in Pittsburgh, but he was clearly dejected by Wednesday's 7-3 defeat. Alfredsson has generated two goals and two assists in his past three games and he'll need to shoulder the load again if Ottawa is going to extend their playoff run.

Daniel Alfredsson had a goal and an assist in Ottawa's 7-3 loss Wednesday.
Alfredsson has now recorded 100 career playoff points. Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris accounted for Ottawa's other two goals. Erik Karlsson registered his sixth and seventh assists of the postseason. Chris Neil, Andre Benoit, and Jakob Silfverberg each had an assist for Ottawa. Neil also recorded a team-high seven hits. Chris Phillips led the Senators with five blocked shots.

Craig Anderson kicked out 32 of 38 shots in a 7-3 defeat on Wednesday.
Anderson was great in the first period, but the Penguins seemed to get better as this contest went on. He was finally yanked in the third period in favor of Robin Lehner. The 21-year-old goaltender ended up stopping three of four shots in the losing effort. The Senators are now down 3-1 in this series and will likely need Anderson to bounce back and steal Game 5.

Jakob Silfverberg is projected to start on the second line with Kyle Turris and Daniel Alfredsson in Game 4 Wednesday night.
He played there for part of Sunday's double-overtime win and he saw some shifts on Jason Spezza's line as well. Silfverberg had been seeing most of his playing time with Mika Zibanejad prior to the shuffling. He doesn't have a point in his last five games and has three points in eight playoff contests.

Eric Gryba (upper body) won't play in Game 4, but he did return to practice with his teammates on Wednesday.
Wednesday's session marked his first appearance back on the ice since he violently collided with Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik in Game 1 on May 14.

Cory Conacher is likely to be scratched by the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night when they host Pittsburgh in Game 4.
He posted a minus-1 rating and had no shots in 13:22 of ice time in Sunday's double-overtime victory. It is expected that Mark Stone will take his place in the lineup.

Mark Stone is expected to make his 2013 playoff debut in Game 4 Wednesday night.
He had one assist in one game with the Senators last year during the postseason and skated in four matches with the team in the regular season. Stone is slated to play alongside Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek against the Penguins.

Ottawa's penalty kill has improved each game in their semifinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"When you play a team for a third time, that has something to do with it, you see how they're doing things, maybe you get the reads a little bit better," coach Paul MacLean said Tuesday. "I think Craig [Anderson] was better. And our scheme and work ethic were better." MacLean knows that the Penguins will make adjustments though and his players need to stay out of penalty trouble to avoid playing with fire.

Colin Greening is using his big frame and speed to success against Pittsburgh in the second round of the playoffs.
He has scored a goal in each of his past three games versus the Penguins going into Wednesday night's match-up. "If my skating is on, everything else falls into place," Greening said. "I want to pride myself on being a player that can play in the playoffs." Greening, Erik Condra and Jean-Gabriel Pageau has arguably been Ottawa's best line in the series so far.

Eric Gryba (upper body) didn't practice Tuesday and there's no timetable for his return.
Gryba hasn't been on the ice since colliding with Brooks Orpik in the second period of Game 1. He's expected to practice with the team Wednesday morning, but that doesn't mean he's ready to return to the lineup. We should know more after tomorrow's morning skate.

Chris Neil (undisclosed) practiced Tuesday and is cleared to play in Wednesday's Game 4.
Neil left Sunday's Game 3 during the second overtime session, but the Sens said Tuesday that Neil could've returned if the game had gone longer. We expect he'll be in the lineup again Wednesday night as the Senators try to even the series.

Eric Gryba (upper body) didn't skate Monday.
He doesn't appear to be close to returning to the lineup after his heavy collision with Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik on May 14 in Game 1.

Chris Neil had to be helped off the ice in the second overtime session Sunday night, but his status wasn't updated Monday.
"Nothing to update," said coach Paul MacLean about Neil after the Ottawa tough guy wasn't at the rink on Monday. If he's not available to play in Game 4 Wednesday then Matt Kassian or Guillaume Latendresse are the likeliest candidates to replace him.

Jason Spezza reported no ill effects after playing in his first game in Sunday since having back surgery.
"I feel good," Spezza said Monday. "To play a double-overtime game and coming out no worse for wear is definitely positive for me and encouraging that I made the right decision [to play]. I took a pretty good pounding and played more than we had initially planned, but it's all positive and I hope to get even better as we go on." He was nailed on a big hit from Pittsburgh's Craig Adams in the first overtime session, which proved to be a good test.

Daniel Alfredsson has been tabbed as a finalist for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award.
He is the league's longest-serving active captain and he's involved in several charities in Ottawa, including the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa which he has supported for the past 10 seasons.

Jason Spezza logged 18:40 of ice time in his return to Ottawa's lineup Sunday night in Game 3.
He won 60 percent of his faceoffs and posted four shots after being sidelined since Jan. 27 due to a back injury which required surgery. Spezza understands that even though he feels much better, back issues can be something that linger. "It's better than before I had surgery, but it's going to take awhile before I feel 100 percent," he said. "Once you have back problems, they never really leave you. It's kind of a daily grind. I've done exercises every day for the last six years. My wife doesn't like when I have to sit on the floor and stretch instead of sitting on the couch with her. I wouldn't wish back pain on my worst enemy."

Daniel Alfredsson potted the game-tying goal with 28.6 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in Game 3 Sunday night.
The Senators ended up winning the contest in double overtime to get back into the series, where they trail Pittsburgh 2-1. Alfredsson's third goal of the playoffs came shorthanded when the Penguins chose to play passive and defend rather than attack. The Ottawa captain has eight points in eight postseason contests.

Craig Anderson turned away 49 of 50 shots for the Senators in a 2-1 double-overtime win over Pittsburgh Sunday night.
As was the case on numerous occasions throughout the season, Anderson was the single-biggest reason for the Ottawa victory on this night. With a 2.17 GAA and .940 save percentage in the postseason, there's no question he's holding up his end of the bargain.

Colin Greening's overtime goal was the difference for Ottawa in a 2-1 victory over the Penguins in Game Three of their second round playoff series.
Playing in front of their home crowd for the first time in the series, the Sens avoided the dreaded 0-3 series deficit with the victory. Daniel Alfredsson's goal with 30 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score and forced the extra time.

Senators center Jason Spezza is champing at the bit in anticipation of his return to the lineup against Pittsburgh Sunday.
"I feel good," said Spezza. "One of the worst things you can do as an athlete is watch your teammates battle (and not be able to help). There have been some frustrating times for me in the process. Hockey-wise, it's been one of the longest years in my career, just trying to get back. You can't replicate the ups and downs, the intensity and the excitement. To sit at home and watch playoff games is pretty tough." Spezza only managed to suit up for five regular season contests before he was sidelined by a back injury that eventually required surgery to correct. He has not seen game action since January 27th.

Jason Spezza (back) is projected to play alongside Milan Michalek in his return on Sunday.
Spezza's other linemate might be Colin Greening. Spezza is looking to help the Ottawa Senators stay alive after losing their first two games of their second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. "I'm excited to have a chance to play again," he said. "I feel ready to play."

As expected, Craig Anderson will be the Senators' starting goaltender on Sunday.
Anderson was pulled from Game 2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he is still their clear number one goaltender. He has a 2.52 GAA and .931 save percentage in seven postseason starts.

Jason Spezza (back) is ready to return to the Senators' lineup.
Look for Spezza to play on the top line in Game 3 on Sunday. The Ottawa Senators are down 2-0 in their second-round series against Pittsburgh, but getting Spezza back will be a huge boost. Although the Senators still might not make it past this round, he will help plenty of fantasy owners in playoff pools in the short term.

When Ottawa coach Paul MacLean pulled Craig Anderson early in the second period Friday night, it was the first time a Senators goalie did not finish a game he started for non-injury reasons this season.
That's a span of 55 games. It just demonstrates how good Ottawa goaltender has been this campaign to this point. That said, Anderson has not looked good in round two against the Penguins and we wouldn't be shocked if he is pulled again if he runs into trouble in Game 3.

Erik Karlsson is struggling to regain his form after returning to action from a sliced Achilles tendon.
He has not looked good against the Penguins and was particulalry vulnerable on Pittsburgh's first goal Friday night as Sidney Crosby blew by him and beat Craig Anderson. As a result, Sens' coach Paul MacLean cut Karlsson's ice time for the remainder of the contest. If you are relying on Karlsson in a playoff pool, we suggest you look for alternatives until the Sens' rearguard shows he is in better game shape.

Jason Spezza (back) joined the Senators for Saturday's practice.
It looks like Spezza is skating on the first line, which will just fuel the speculation that he could return on Sunday. For now he should still be regarded as questionable for that game, but this is a very good sign.

Craig Anderson was roughed up for three goals in Ottawa's 4-3 setback in Game 2 of their semifinal series with the Penguins on Friday night.
The Penguins certainly dictated the pace, though Anderson wasn't sharp for the second straight tilt, making 18 saves and getting yanked 1:15 into the second period. The silver lining was how backup Robin Lehner played. Making his playoff debut, Lehner kicked aside 20 of 21 shots, the only goal coming about seven minutes after he entered the game. The 21-year-old got sharper as game went on, making a number of great saves to keep Ottawa within striking distance. Anderson is still the starter, but he's now given up seven goals in the series and Lehner's performance Friday night might sway coach Paul MacLean into a quick hook if he struggles again.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Senators in their 4-3 loss in Game 2 of their second-round series with the Penguins on Friday night.
The coming out party continues for the 5-foot-9 winger who now has four goals and two helpers in seven playoff games. Kyle Turris notched a power-play goal and Colin Greening had the other marker. Chris Neil had four penalty minuets, a game-high six hits and a helper. Ottawa needs to figure out a way to hold on to pucks longer and sustain pressure or this will be a very short series for them. The upside is that this is a team that has brushed aside adversity the entire season.

Andre Benoit is officially in Ottawa's Game 2 lineup.
With Eric Gryba (upper body) unable to play, Benoit will make his second appearance of these playoffs. Benoit had 10 points in 33 games this year.

Matt Kassian is a healthy scratch for the Senators in Game 2 of their second-round series with the Penguins.
The 26-year-old played in Game 1, getting 9:42 of ice time and a shot on goal. Guillaume Latendresse, who has played in two playoff games this year, gets the chance in Kassian's place.

Jason Spezza (back) might be available for Game 3 on Sunday.
Spezza reportedly doesn't have medical clearance yet, so there are still hurdles for him to overcome. "He continues to skate on a daily basis and makes progress," said Senators coach Paul MacLean. "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." Spezza was limited to just five regular season games.

Senators GM Bryan Murray feels Paul MacLean's performance as the team's head coach this year is a step up from what he did in 2011-12.
"Absolutely," Murray said. "It was an outstanding job. There were times during the year we had seven key players out of our lineup and he was able to bring up a number of young players playing their first games in the National Hockey League, allowed them to play, gave them ice time, gave them an opportunity to play with a variety of linemates and defensive partners and survive. Not only did they survive but he put them in positions to be successful." MacLean has been nominated for the Jack Adams Award and he should be regarded as the heavy favorite to win.

Andre Benoit is expected to play in Game 2 on Friday.
It will be Benoit's second appearance of the 2013 playoffs. He had an assist and logged 12:35 minutes of playing time in Ottawa's 3-1 loss to Montreal on May 3.

Guillaume Latendresse will be back in the Senators' lineup for Game 2 on Friday.
Latendresse hasn't played since May 3. He had six goals and 10 points in 27 games in 2012-13.

Eric Gryba (upper body) will not participate in Game 2 on Friday.
Gryba collided with Brooks Orpik late in the second period of Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. There's some speculation that he might have a concussion, but that hasn't been confirmed.

Paul MacLean is one of the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award.
Anaheim's Bruce Boudreau and Chicago's Joel Quenneville are the other candidates for the award that will go "to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team's success." It would be surprising if MacLean misses out on this award. His Senators had to overcome major injuries to Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson, Milan Michalek, and Jason Spezza. The fact that they managed to make the playoffs despite that is incredible.

Erik Karlsson agreed with coach Paul MacLean's assessment that he isn't playing up to his past standards since returning from his Achilles injury.
"I'm not playing the way I did when I got hurt and that's just the way it is," Karlsson said. "I'm trying to figure it out. Every once in a while it works and you feel pretty good out there. I've got to find the consistent game as well." Even a partially healthy Karlsson is valuable to the Senators though, as they continue to play in the postseason against Pittsburgh in the second round.

Guillaume Latendresse may return to Ottawa's lineup in Game 2 versus Pittsburgh.
He took Matt Kassian's spot on the third line with Zack Smith and Chris Neil during Thursday's practice. Latendresse played in two games against Montreal in Round 1 and he had one goal.

Andre Benoit was paired with Chris Phillips at Thursday's practice.
It looks like he'll play in Game 2 Friday against Pittsburgh if Eric Gryba isn't able to suit up. Gryba is listed as a game-time decision.

Eric Gryba (upper body) hasn't been ruled out of playing in Game 2 on Friday.
If Gryba is unavailable then Andre Benoit or Mike Lundin will take his place in the lineup. He sustained an upper-body injury, which may have been a concussion, when he collided with Brooks Orpik late in the second period of Ottawa's semifinal opener against Pittsburgh.

Senators coach Paul MacLean doesn't think Erik Karlsson is playing at the same level he was prior to getting his Achilles sliced by Matt Cooke's skate.
"I don't think he's close to what he was before he got injured," said MacLean. "He was a dominant, dominant player, possibly the best player in the league at the time of his injury. Our expectation wasn't that (his play) would be at that level. Our expectation is that Erik would make us a better team because of his abilities to move the puck and to help us on the power play, to quarterback that. Our expectation is not that he's the Norris Trophy-winning Erik Karlsson." He logged nearly 27 minutes of ice time in Game 1 against Pittsburgh and has picked up six points in six playoff matches so far.

Jason Spezza isn't ready to return from his surgically repaired back yet, but there's plenty of anticipation and speculation that he's not far away from playing again.
Coach Paul MacLean attempted to temper those expectations on Wednesday when he spoke to the media. "I think Jason still has some hurdles to get over before we get to that point with him coming in to say he's ready to play, that we (the coaches and medical staff) would allow him to play," said the Ottawa bench boss. "Right now, he's in Ottawa and he's skating. We're here and we're going to play Game 2." He isn't expected to play Friday.

Andre Benoit may get another crack at NHL playoff action in Game 2 against Pittsburgh Friday night.
He dressed in Game 2 versus Montreal during the first round after Eric Gryba was suspended and now with Gryba likely to sit due to injury, Benoit might play in his second career postseason contest. If Benoit doesn't suit up then Mike Lundin might go instead.

Jared Cowen collected an assist in Ottawa's Game 1 loss to Pittsburgh Tuesday night.
He didn't have a strong showing defensively though, as he inadvertently deflected a shot from Paul Martin into his own net 2:41 into the game while trying to kill a penalty. Cowen also turned the puck over deep in his own zone and then lost Evgeni Malkin in front of the net for the Penguins' second goal of the contest. Pittsburgh opened Round 2 with a 4-1 win over the Senators.

Craig Anderson allowed four goals on 30 shots in a Game 1 loss to Pittsburgh to open the semifinal round.
The Penguins scored two goals on three power play opportunities in the contest and they added a shorthanded marker against Anderson as well. The Ottawa goaltender allowed more than two goals just once against Montreal in the first round of the postseason, but facing a stacked Penguins offense will put him to the test every night.

Colin Greening was Ottawa's only goal scorer in a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday night.
Erik Condra and Jared Cowen picked up assists on Greening's first marker of the postseason. Greening didn't have a point against Montreal in five games during the opening round. Cory Conacher ended up with four penalty minutes, while Mika Zibanejad, Milan Michalek and Marc Methot led the Senators with four shots on goal apiece.

Eric Gryba sustained an upper-body injury in Game 1 of the semifinals against Pittsburgh.
He was hurt in a collision with Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik in the second period and won't be back. Gryba's night ended after 8:40 of ice time.

Jason Spezza (back) is not expected to play in the first two games of the Senators' second-round series.
The center didn't travel with the team to Pittsburgh, staying home in Ottawa to workout and continue to get into shape. He hasn't played since Jan. 27 due to surgery on a herniated disc. It seems as if he's very close to returning and it wouldn't be a shock to see him back sometime in this series.

Senators general manager Bryan Murray sees the potential for another upset based on how his team performed in the first round.
It's just another chance for the Senators to quiet the doubters, many of whom thought the team would slide after all the injuries it faced. "I think the East is wide open. Pittsburgh are certainly - easier for me to say that because we haven't faced them - but they're the team that everybody early on picked to win it," said Murray. "Other than that we've all seen the games are close every night and competitive every night. I think if good things happen for you - injuries and goaltending - anybody can win." Murray thinks the rash of injuries helped hasten the development of some younger players, and that will only help more now.

Senators coach Paul MacLean understands that nobody can take anything for granted in the playoffs.
The seventh-seeded Senators will look to upset the number-one-seeded Penguins starting Tuesday night. "I remember in 2006 (when) I was with the Detroit Red Wings (as an assistant coach), and we had 150 points and we won 50-some games and we were setting records all over the place and winning the President's Trophy and this little team in Edmonton decided they wanted to play and beat us in six games," said MacLean. "They were the eighth seed. Last year, the Los Angeles Kings were the eighth seed in the West . proceeded to go into Vancouver and sweep them in four games. So, yeah, lots can happen."

The Senators realize shutting down the Penguins' top offensive players is easier said than done.
The key is to play smart and controlled. "People need to know when you're playing against great players, it's not always easy to be physical," Marc Methot said. "They're good for a reason. They don't put themselves in vulnerable positions where they'll get hit. It's going to be tough. The biggest thing is to stay tight in our own end and not get running around in our own end where they thrive."

Jason Spezza (back) isn't making any predictions or promises for a possible return to the lineup against Pittsburgh in the second round of the playoffs.
There's no timetable for a return to game action and a decision hasn't been made yet if he'll travel with the team to Pittsburgh for Game 1. "I want to play, I want to back out there," Spezza said. "I don't want to have any pain. I wish I could the play the next game. It's all going to be about how I respond. I've got to push myself. That's why we're really going to try and push forward in the next three days. It might tell me that it's not time to play and it might respond real well, but I would be lying if I tried to give you a straight answer (on a return date)."

Erik Karlsson isn't concerned with facing Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke in the second round of the playoffs.
Cooke's skate cut Karlsson's Achilles tendon and the Ottawa defenseman missed 31 games after requiring surgery. "I don't have many thoughts," Karlsson said. "Whatever happened, happened. I'm back playing and it's not something I'm really thinking about." The offensively gifted blueliner generated one goal and five assists in the Senators' first-round series win over Montreal.

Both seventh seeds, the Ottawa Senators and the Detroit Red Wings, won their first round series.
Since the NHL went to their current format, seventh seeds have won 44 percent of the time, a very high figure considering they have to play the second seed overall. With the NHL once again changing their format next season, there will not be any more chances for a two seed to hold off a seventh. The Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks were the second seeds this season.

The Ottawa Senators announced on Sunday that Patrick Wiercioch remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.
He played in one May 5 playoff game before leaving that game early on with this vaguely reported injury. He's been in and out of Ottawa's lineup at various points of the season, so he's obviously not a make-or-break guy at this point in his career.

Milan Michalek had a "maintenance day" on Sunday, but the Ottawa Senators said he'll be ready for Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It's been an up-and-down season for the winger after he broke out in 2011-12 because of injuries. It's worth noting that he's been connecting on a little less than seven percent of his shots in both the regular season (6.9) and playoffs (6.7) so a moderate breakout is plausible.

Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza was on the ice with his teammates at practice this morning for the first time since having back surgery.
The star center appeared in only five games this season, scoring two goals and adding three assists, before undergoing surgery on a herniated disc. "I'd like to see Jason on the ice. He's a good player. He's an important player for us," Sens general manager Bryan Murray said earlier this week. "He hasn't played all year though. It's a big step to throw him into a series where everybody's been playing for a long time. I hope to see him at some point in round two. Whether that will happen or not, I don't know." Spezza last played on January 27 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who will be the Sens' opponents in the second round of the playoffs. The Sens already have seen defensemen Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowen return from injuries, helping them to a first round series victory over the Montreal Canadiens in five games.

The Ottawa Senators are psychologically prepared to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the NHL's playoffs, veteran defenseman Chris Phillips says.
The Penguins earned the right to meet the Sens by eliminating the New York Islanders Saturday night with a 4-3 overtime victory. "It would be a tough series (against Pittsburtgh)," Phillips said, "but yeah, we welcome the challenge. We've played them a few times (over) the last years, and I would expect no different ... a lot of energy and an exciting series."

Jason Spezza (back surgery), who has been skating with non-roster players, will be re-evaluated Sunday to determine if he practice with the active Senators next week.
This is more positive news from the Spezza camp. Although everyone in the Senators' organization is being cautious, it is begining to look like Spezza will be able to play sometime in Round 2. If you have a reserve spot on your playoff roster you should consider adding Spezza.

Jason Spezza has started skating with the Black Aces of the Ottawa Senators.
"He's skating much harder, competing much better, and feeling much stronger," GM Bryan Murray told radio station The Team 1200 on Friday. "Skating with the Black Aces is a more serious involvement for him. He's got to practice a few times with the team before (coach) Paul (MacLean) thinks about making a change, but there's light at the end of the tunnel." The Senators advanced into the second round of the playoffs after Thursday night's win, which gives Spezza a slightly larger window to get better and possibly return at some point.

Erik Condra generated a goal and two assists in Game 5's 6-1 win over Montreal.
He assisted on Cory Conacher's first goal of the night and helped set up Kyle Turris' shorthanded marker in the second period. Condra scored his first goal of the playoffs on the power play late in the third period.

Daniel Alfredsson recorded his second power-play goal of the series in Ottawa's Game 5 win over Montreal Thursday night.
The 40-year-old veteran has looked great in the playoffs so far. He racked up six points in five games during the Senators' opening round series victory over the Canadiens.

Zack Smith opened the scoring in Game 5 Thursday night.
His first career postseason goal came just over two minutes into the opening period on a juicy rebound in front of Montreal starter Peter Budaj. Smith was credited with nine hits and 15 penalty minutes (all of which came in one game) in Ottawa's first-round series.

Kyle Turris' shorthanded goal in the second period gave Ottawa a 3-1 lead Thursday night and it appeared to suck the life out of the Montreal Canadiens.
The Senators went on to score three power-play goals in the third period to win Game 5 by a score of 6-1 and eliminate the Canadiens from the playoffs. Turris was shoved into goaltender Peter Budaj on the play and Erik Condra's shot bounced off his thigh and into the net. Turris was excellent for Ottawa in the series with three goals and two assists. He has also improved defensively and has stepped up as the team's top center with Jason Spezza still out of the lineup.

Cory Conacher recorded a pair of goals for Ottawa Thursday as they eliminated Montreal from the playoffs with a 6-1 drubbing.
Despite the fact he was a healthy scratch for Game Two, Conacher still tallied three times in the series. Erik Condra also registered a goal and two assists for the Sens in this game while Daniel Alfredsson, Zack Smith and Kyle Turris all found the back of the net as well.

Craig Anderson turned aside 33 of 34 shots Thursday as the Senators defeated Montreal by a score of 6-1 to eliminate the Canadiens from the playoffs.
Anderson allowed only nine goals over the course of the five-game series and severely outplayed the Montreal netminders, which was one of the biggest factors in the Ottawa win. There really isn't a hotter goalie in the league at the moment.

Ottawa coach Paul MacLean wants his team to finish off the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night.
"Our approach is that we're desperate to win a playoff series," MacLean said after the team's morning skate. "We haven't done that since I've been here." The Senators had a 3-2 series lead against the Rangers last year, but could not hang on so MacLean could try to use that to motivate his troops to eliminate Montreal in Game 5 on Thursday. The Senators don't want to take the wounded Habs lightly.

Craig Anderson isn't concerned that he wasn't nominated for the Vezina Trophy.
"It didn't even cross my mind at all," said Anderson. "You can make the perfect argument that I didn't play enough games, but it's one of those things. It's a personal accolade that doesn't mean a whole lot in a team game." He is also focused right now on just winning playoff games. If Anderson didn't miss 18 contests with an ankle injury he probably would've been among the three finalists for the Vezina. In 24 regular-season games, he led all goaltenders with a .941 save percentage and a 1.69 goals-against average.

Jason Spezza has begun more rigorous training, but he still believed to be a long way away from returning to the lineup.
"He's skating and it's gone beyond public skating," said coach Paul MacLean Wednesday. "It's gone to the next stage of his rehab. We're hoping for him it can progress as quickly as it can. At the same time, it has to be done properly. He has elevated his work schedule and that's good." MacLean added that Spezza isn't close to resuming practices with the team, which would indicate that he's nearing a return to playing. Ottawa's top center underwent back surgery in January and the fact that he's making progress now is encouraging.

The Ottawa Senators certainly don't feel comfortable despite their 3-1 series lead.
"We're scared to death," said Senators coach Paul MacLean, referring to Game 5 on Thursday. "I know I am. We know it's going to be really hard. Tomorrow is going to be a hard game and we have to make sure we're ready for that no matter what they have or who they play. It's going to be hard." Ottawa has some experience in this department after taking a 3-2 series lead against the New York Rangers in 2012 only to lose that series in seven games. Montreal certainly has the capacity to claw their way back into this series.

Mika Zibanejad helped spark Ottawa's comeback win in Game 4 with his first NHL playoff goal at the 11:55 mark of the third period.
Zibanejad redirected the puck into the net off his skate and the play held up as a goal after a lengthy review. He didn't have a point in his previous two postseason matches after getting two assists in Game 1.

Cory Conacher produced his first NHL postseason marker in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win over Montreal.
He picked an excellent time to get his first point of the series. Conacher sent the game into overtime by scoring with just 22.6 seconds remaining in regulation to help the Senators erase a two-goal deficit in the third period. He was a healthy scratch in Game 2, after being used sparingly in Game 1, but in the past two contests his ice time has increased. He was also on during a crucial time in Game 4, so coach Paul MacLean appears to be getting more comfortable with the diminutive rookie.

Kyle Turris tallied the game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday to give Ottawa a commanding 3-1 series lead against Montreal.
He also picked up an assist on Cory Conacher's game-tying strike with just 22.6 seconds remaining in the third period. Mika Zibanejad had the Senators' other goal in the contest, while Daniel Alfredsson, Chris Neil, Sergei Gonchar, Erik Karlsson and Marc Methot posted an assist each. The game didn't feature the same nastiness of Game 3, but it had plenty of drama.

Craig Anderson defended 26 shots in Ottawa's 3-2 overtime victory against Montreal Tuesday night.
The win gives Ottawa a 3-1 stranglehold in the series. Anderson has been excellent between the pipes for the Senators in their first-round match-up versus the Canadiens. He leads all goaltenders with a .945 save percentage and has a 2.00 GAA. He spotted the Canadiens a 2-0 lead Tuesday, but held his teammates in the game to help them mount a comeback victory.

Eric Gryba will be back in the lineup for Tuesday night after serving his two-game suspension for a hit on Montreal's Lars Eller.
The Canadiens are saying all the right things when asked how they'll respond to Gryba's presence on the ice, but you can bet players like Brandon Prust will have an eye fixed on the Ottawa defenseman tonight. We'll just have to wait and see if there are any fireworks once the two parties get together again.

The Senators know that Game 4 on Tuesday night is a crucial one.
It's a chance for them to really put the Canadiens in a hole and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. "Right now, (the momentum) is nowhere, it's a day off," Erik Karlsson said Monday. "The next one is a totally different game. We know the third one is harder to win than the second one. We have to come out like we did (Sunday), but even better. They want to prove they're the better team."

Eric Gryba has finished serving his suspension and is eligible to return to the lineup in Game 4 Tuesday night.
According to Sportsnet's Ian Mendes, Patrick Wiercioch won't be available due to a lower-body injury so it's likely that Gryba plays Tuesday. Gryba was suspended for two games for his big hit on Montreal's Lars Eller last Thursday in Game 1.

Sergei Gonchar and Erik Karlsson collected two assists each in Sunday's 6-1 win over Montreal.
Both of them picked up a helper on Daniel Alfredsson's power-play goal in the first period. Gonchar ended up with nearly 26 minutes of ice time thanks to a shortened Senators bench, due mostly to penalties, while Karlsson played over 28 minutes.

Jared Cowen produced an assist and a team-leading 19 penalty minutes in Sunday's Game 3 win over Montreal.
The Ottawa defenseman also finished the game with a plus-2 rating. That's a pretty solid night for fantasy poolies if penalty minutes count as a positive.

Chris Neil had a truculent game for Ottawa Sunday night.
He registered six hits and amassed 17 penalty minutes in the Senators' 6-1 blowout of Montreal in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series. Neil also had an assist in the contest.

Patrick Wiercioch had to leave Sunday's contest early because of a lower-body injury.
His NHL playoff debut lasted only two shifts for 1:47 of ice time. Consider him day-to-day for now.

Daniel Alfredsson had to take a couple of shifts on defense near the end of Sunday's game.
Game 3 was a chippy and fight-filled affair, which led to plenty of game misconducts and shortened benches. Montreal's Tomas Plekanec got some time on the back end as well as the final minutes ticked away. Alfredsson enjoyed a productive night in Game 3 with a goal and two assists in Ottawa's 6-1 victory.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau recorded a hat trick for the Senators in a 6-1 romp over Montreal Sunday night.
Pageau was the hero in Ottawa's regular season finale against Boston and the diminutive center has clearly carved out a permanent role with the club after this effort. Daniel Alfredsson also picked up a goal and two assists in the victory while Jakob Silfverberg and Kyle Turris also found the back of the net. Erik Karlsson and Sergei Gonchar each chipped in with a pair of assists.

Craig Anderson allowed one goal on 34 shots Sunday en route to a 6-1 win over the Canadiens in Game Three of their first round playoff series.
The difference in the series thus far has been reflected in the play of the goaltenders, as Anderson has been the primary reason for victory in each of Ottawa's wins. With a GAA of 2.00 and a .949 save percentage so far in the postseason, Anderson is proving that his regular season performance was legitimate.

With Eric Gryba serving his two-game suspension for the hit he placed on Montreal's Lars Eller, defenseman Andre Benoit was in the lineup for Ottawa's 3-1 loss on Friday.
The offensive-minded blue liner played less than 13 minutes in the defeat, but he did pick up an assist on the team's only tally, leading us to believe he'll be active once again as Gryba serves the final game of his suspension.

Cory Conacher's status for Sunday's game against the Montreal Canadiens is uncertain after the winger was a healthy scratch in Friday's contest.
Conacher watched Game Two of the series from the press box as the coaching staff chose to insert the rugged Matt Kassian in his place, perhaps anticipating rough play after the injury suffered by Lars Eller in Game One. If the team is intent on generating more offense than they did in Friday's defeat Conacher will be on the ice.

Eric Gryba remains firm that he doesn't feel his hit on Lars Eller targeted the head.
Eller was hospitalized and has a concussion while Gryba received a two-game suspension. "I'm obviously disappointed with the league's decision on that but there's nothing I can do about it, so I'm just going to move on," Gryba said. "I still feel it was a shoulder-to-shoulder body check and a hockey play but it's out of my hands. I didn't think there was going to be any more discipline but there was, and that's the game I'm in." Gryba added that while he feels terrible, he doesn't think he'll be changing the way he plays as a result of this incident.

Kyle Turris was removed from the Senators' top line during Ottawa's 3-1 loss to Montreal Friday night.
He was replaced by Jean-Gabriel Pageau who skated between Milan Michalek and Daniel Alfredsson. We are not sure if Ottawa coach Paul MacLean will keep this line intact or restore Turris to his regular position for Game 3. Of course, if far-fetched rumors of Jason Spezza's return are true, then Ottawa's lines will be due for a major turnover.

The Montreal Gazette reported Saturday that there is speculation that Jason Spezza (back) will return to action for Game 3 Sunday.
We find that hard to believe given reports that he was just skating casually last week. That said, Mike Boone of Inside Out reported about the speculation. We will let you know once more is known.