Senators winger blames band for bad ice that led to twisted ankle against Bruins
If Dany Heatley doesn't get 50 goals for the second straight season, it won't be because of defencemen like Andrei Markov or goaltenders like Martin Brodeur.
Blame The Pussycat Dolls.
The Senators winger won't decide until this morning if his sore ankle is good enough to allow him to play tonight against the hot Canadiens at Scotiabank Place.
Heatley, who has 46 goals with five games left, caught his toe in some bad ice Tuesday night against the Bruins and twisted his ankle.
The Senators said the ice was soft and in poor condition after the Christina Aguilera/The Pussycat Dolls concert the night before.
GAME-TIME DECISION
When asked if Aguilera is to blame, Heatley replied: "Maybe just The Pussycat Dolls. They were melting the ice, apparently, and it made for bad ice for the game."
Heatley missed his second straight practice yesterday, but said he will try his ankle in the morning skate today.
"It felt a lot better (yesterday)," he said. "I imagine it will feel even better (today). We'll see what it feels like on the ice."
Everybody in the Senators camp wants to see Heatley get 50 again, but the question now is should Heatley play if there is a significant chance of making the injury worse?
The playoffs start in less than two weeks.
Senators centre Jason Spezza, Heatley's setup man, said he knows what's going to happen.
"He's going to play if his leg is falling off, if I know Heater," said Spezza. "Anybody want to bet?"
Bryan Murray said he erred on the side of caution in keeping Heatley off the ice.
"He says he's okay, but until it happens, we'll wait and see," said Ottawa's coach. "He's got some (bruising) around the ankle and it's a little tender."
Heatley, who scored his 46th goal of the season to open the scoring a minute into the Bruins game, is bidding to become the first player to have back-to-back 50-goal seasons since Pavel Bure turned the trick with the Panthers in the 1999-2000/2000- 2001 seasons. He had seasons of 58 and 59 goals.
Four goals in five games is not a tall order for the 26-year-old Heatley. He scored three goals in the last five games last year to turn the 50 trick for the first time, including one goal in each of the final two games.
With his goal Tuesday night, he now has four goals in his last three games to raise the possibility of renewing his membership in the 50 club. He hadn't scored in five games before his latest hot streak.
"When a guy gets that close, you want to see it happen," said Spezza. "I definitely want to help him out. You want to get him there and get him there as soon as possible so we can stop answering questions about it."
Murray said Heatley has grown as a player and has become a good two-way performer who has earned his confidence.
Getting 50 goals this season would perhaps be even more significant because it would complement his evolution into a player who now kills penalties and is not a liability playing against the other team's best players.
"He's more than a shooter now. He's become a real dedicated, two-way player," said Murray. "I don't worry that we're going to have a turnover in our zone or he can't get the puck out against a pinching defenceman. I know he's going to give us effort coming back. For me, he's really rounded out his game nicely."
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Senators W Patrick Eaves is a question mark for tonight after getting hit in the groin with a puck against Boston on Tuesday ...
D Wade Redden, who missed Tuesday's game with a sore groin, will return ... With W Dany Heatley getting another day off because of his sore ankle, Oleg Saprykin (healthy scratch for 7-of-8 games) took his place with Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson yesterday ... With a win tonight, the Senators can have their highest point total in a single month this season. They currently have 18 points in March. They had 19 in January ... Both Ottawa and Montreal will hit the road after tonight's game. The Senators are off to Long Island to play the Islanders tomorrow night while the Canadiens are home to the Sabres ... After facing the Sabres, the Canadiens finish with a game at home to Boston and on the road against the Rangers and Maple Leafs ... Habs G Cristobal Huet, who had surgery in February for a torn hamstring, was to meet with doctors yesterday to get the green light to return.
If Dany Heatley doesn't get 50 goals for the second straight season, it won't be because of defencemen like Andrei Markov or goaltenders like Martin Brodeur.
Blame The Pussycat Dolls.
The Senators winger won't decide until this morning if his sore ankle is good enough to allow him to play tonight against the hot Canadiens at Scotiabank Place.
Heatley, who has 46 goals with five games left, caught his toe in some bad ice Tuesday night against the Bruins and twisted his ankle.
The Senators said the ice was soft and in poor condition after the Christina Aguilera/The Pussycat Dolls concert the night before.
GAME-TIME DECISION
When asked if Aguilera is to blame, Heatley replied: "Maybe just The Pussycat Dolls. They were melting the ice, apparently, and it made for bad ice for the game."
Heatley missed his second straight practice yesterday, but said he will try his ankle in the morning skate today.
"It felt a lot better (yesterday)," he said. "I imagine it will feel even better (today). We'll see what it feels like on the ice."
Everybody in the Senators camp wants to see Heatley get 50 again, but the question now is should Heatley play if there is a significant chance of making the injury worse?
The playoffs start in less than two weeks.
Senators centre Jason Spezza, Heatley's setup man, said he knows what's going to happen.
"He's going to play if his leg is falling off, if I know Heater," said Spezza. "Anybody want to bet?"
Bryan Murray said he erred on the side of caution in keeping Heatley off the ice.
"He says he's okay, but until it happens, we'll wait and see," said Ottawa's coach. "He's got some (bruising) around the ankle and it's a little tender."
Heatley, who scored his 46th goal of the season to open the scoring a minute into the Bruins game, is bidding to become the first player to have back-to-back 50-goal seasons since Pavel Bure turned the trick with the Panthers in the 1999-2000/2000- 2001 seasons. He had seasons of 58 and 59 goals.
Four goals in five games is not a tall order for the 26-year-old Heatley. He scored three goals in the last five games last year to turn the 50 trick for the first time, including one goal in each of the final two games.
With his goal Tuesday night, he now has four goals in his last three games to raise the possibility of renewing his membership in the 50 club. He hadn't scored in five games before his latest hot streak.
"When a guy gets that close, you want to see it happen," said Spezza. "I definitely want to help him out. You want to get him there and get him there as soon as possible so we can stop answering questions about it."
Murray said Heatley has grown as a player and has become a good two-way performer who has earned his confidence.
Getting 50 goals this season would perhaps be even more significant because it would complement his evolution into a player who now kills penalties and is not a liability playing against the other team's best players.
"He's more than a shooter now. He's become a real dedicated, two-way player," said Murray. "I don't worry that we're going to have a turnover in our zone or he can't get the puck out against a pinching defenceman. I know he's going to give us effort coming back. For me, he's really rounded out his game nicely."
-------------------
Senators W Patrick Eaves is a question mark for tonight after getting hit in the groin with a puck against Boston on Tuesday ...
D Wade Redden, who missed Tuesday's game with a sore groin, will return ... With W Dany Heatley getting another day off because of his sore ankle, Oleg Saprykin (healthy scratch for 7-of-8 games) took his place with Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson yesterday ... With a win tonight, the Senators can have their highest point total in a single month this season. They currently have 18 points in March. They had 19 in January ... Both Ottawa and Montreal will hit the road after tonight's game. The Senators are off to Long Island to play the Islanders tomorrow night while the Canadiens are home to the Sabres ... After facing the Sabres, the Canadiens finish with a game at home to Boston and on the road against the Rangers and Maple Leafs ... Habs G Cristobal Huet, who had surgery in February for a torn hamstring, was to meet with doctors yesterday to get the green light to return.
