Daniel Alfredsson will likely return tonight after a sore groin kept him out of Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Flyers.
"It felt pretty good (yesterday)," said Alfredsson, who skated on his own and then practised with his teammates.
Goalie Ray Emery, who took the loss after relieving Martin Gerber Saturday, will get his fifth start. Gerber's spotty play lately has opened the door for Emery to perhaps grab more playing time. Emery's lost his last three decisions, though he was in a tough spot Saturday, coming into a tied game, then giving up the winner on a tap-in off a 2-on-1.
"I definitely want to bounce back with a good game. I just worry about what's at hand. I don't worry if I won the last game or lost the last game or whatever," said Emery.
Rookie forward Nick Foligno was called up from Binghamton of the AHL yesterday.
Paddock said he likes the mindset of this team, as stated by Alfredsson, who characterized the latest struggles as just the ebb and flow of a season.
"They don't think the sky is falling like everybody else does," said Paddock.
Based on the record, you probably couldn't pick a better team than the Islanders for the Senators to try and break a slump. The Senators have won eight straight against the Islanders over the past two seasons and are 30-4-8-0 over the past 11 years.
But you won't catch the Senators taking anything for granted going into this one.
"We have to respect what they've done so far," said Emery. "We're definitely not overconfident."
"It felt pretty good (yesterday)," said Alfredsson, who skated on his own and then practised with his teammates.
Goalie Ray Emery, who took the loss after relieving Martin Gerber Saturday, will get his fifth start. Gerber's spotty play lately has opened the door for Emery to perhaps grab more playing time. Emery's lost his last three decisions, though he was in a tough spot Saturday, coming into a tied game, then giving up the winner on a tap-in off a 2-on-1.
"I definitely want to bounce back with a good game. I just worry about what's at hand. I don't worry if I won the last game or lost the last game or whatever," said Emery.
Rookie forward Nick Foligno was called up from Binghamton of the AHL yesterday.
Paddock said he likes the mindset of this team, as stated by Alfredsson, who characterized the latest struggles as just the ebb and flow of a season.
"They don't think the sky is falling like everybody else does," said Paddock.
Based on the record, you probably couldn't pick a better team than the Islanders for the Senators to try and break a slump. The Senators have won eight straight against the Islanders over the past two seasons and are 30-4-8-0 over the past 11 years.
But you won't catch the Senators taking anything for granted going into this one.
"We have to respect what they've done so far," said Emery. "We're definitely not overconfident."
