The Ottawa Senators welcome the Atlanta Thrashers. If you listen to any hockey talk show or read anything from ESPN, you will see they are referred to as the "Undefeated" Atlanta Thrashers. The season is only two games old for the Thrashers boys.
Brian Elliot and his awesome Casey Jones mask will get the start for Ottawa tonight. Pascal Leclaire will take a seat despite allowing just 3 goals in his two starts this season.
Elliot will likely be tested early as Ilya Kovalchuk is a machine and has had two goals in each of the Thrashers first two games this season, finally topping the 300 goal mark. Kovalchuk is also a Senator killer with eleven goals and six assists in 13 road games against Ottawa (despite the impressive stats, the Atlanta Thrashers are only 5-8-0 in those 13 games).
A good match up to watch will be the Thrashers penalty kill vs the Senators power play. Atlanta has killed six of seven power plays thus far this season with rookie Evander Kane contributing effectively on the kill.
On the other side Ottawa has not scored in seven power play chances. Despite the power play woes the Senators have pull out two straight wins (against the lowly Islanders and Maple Leafs).
The Atlanta Thrashers will be without defenseman Boris Valabik (out 4-6 weeks after surgery) while the Ottawa Senators will be missing defenseman Filip Kuba and forwards Jesse Winchester and Ryan Shannon.
Spezza has started slow this year, but perhaps a match up against the Thrashers will help:
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