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Minus Hossa, Pens take on Senators

Sat 1st, March 2008

(Sports Network) - Marian Hossa's debut with the Penguins was less than perfect, but Pittsburgh will try to rebound this afternoon when it visits the struggling Ottawa Senators for a showdown at Scotiabank Place.

The Penguins acquired the best offensive weapon at the trade deadline, as they brought in Hossa and forward Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta for forwards Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a 2008 first- round pick.

However, Hossa's debut with the Penguins this Thursday in Boston was not a memorable one. The right winger suffered an MCL strain following a knee-on- knee collision with Boston's Glen Murray in the second period and did not return. Hossa, who has 26 goals and 30 assists this season, is expected to miss one week of action.

In addition to losing Hossa to injury, the Penguins also were slammed by the Bruins, 5-1, as Marco Sturm posted two goals to lead Boston at TD Banknorth Garden.

Dupuis had the lone goal for the Penguins, who have dropped three of four. Ty Conklin, coming off a career-best 50-save performance against the Islanders on Tuesday, was pulled after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Marc-Andre Fleury, making his first appearance since sustaining a high right ankle sprain during the Pens 3-2 win at Calgary on December 6, took over between the pipes and finished the game with 16 saves.

The Penguins have 79 points on the year and are one point behind New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Today's test marks the end of a three-game road trip for Pittsburgh, which is 18-12-2 as the visiting team this season.

The Senators, meanwhile, continued their slide Thursday night, as they lost in Philadelphia and have now dropped three straight, four of five and seven of their last nine contests.

Ottawa is now second in the Northeast Division, a point behind Montreal, and fifth overall in the Eastern Conference after dominating the standings earlier in the season.

The Senators were playing their first game since firing head coach John Paddock on Wednesday and replacing him with general manager Bryan Murray, who led Ottawa to its first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup finals in 2007.

Ottawa was handed a 3-1 setback in Philly, as Mike Knuble scored a pair of goals in the third period to lead the Flyers.

Jason Spezza had the lone goal and Ray Emery turned aside 35 shots for the free-falling Senators, who have also lost 16 of their 27 games since the start of the new year.

Ottawa is 19-12-3 as the hosts this season, but has lost four of its last five at Scotiabank Place. After today's test, the Senators will head back out on the road for a four-game road trip, which starts Monday in Anaheim.

The Sens and Penguins will meet for the final time this season tonight, as Ottawa has taken two of three so far in 2007-08. The Senators have won nine of the last 13 meetings, though Pittsburgh has won three straight in Ottawa.

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