:thrashers: @ :sens: Preview and has no TV coverage 
with a game start time of 7:00pm EDT.
Big story -- It's surely no surprise that the fortunes of the Thrashers ride heavily on the shoulders of captain Ilya Kovalchuk, and he's in top form to start the season. He has two goals in each of Atlanta's first two contests, including the 300th and 301st of his career in a 4-2 win in St. Louis on Thursday. His 301 goals and 105 power play goals lead the NHL since his rookie season in 2001-02. He's also racked up an impressive tally in Ottawa, with 11 goals and six assists in 13 road games against the Senators. Proving that no man can do it alone, however, his team is 5-8-0 in those games.
Team scope
:thrashers: -- After ranking 29th of 30 teams on the penalty kill last season, the Thrashers have snuffed six of seven to start. 18-year-old Evander Kane is pulling his weight early, proving effective on the kill and picking up a couple of points in the first two games, including his first NHL goal on Thursday.
:sens: -- Ottawa may be 0-for-7 with a man advantage, but they're on a two-game winning streak, beating the Maple Leafs and Islanders after falling to the Rangers in their opener last Saturday in New York. One of the more interesting side stories the past few days has been journeyman defenseman Matt Carkner's first NHL goal in the second period Thursday. The 28-year-old had played in only two NHL games before this season.
Meanwhile, Jason Spezza and Chris Neil had an exchange in practice Friday, according to a TSN report. Neil gave Spezza a two-hander to the back of the legs and Spezza answered in kind, leading to a dropping of the gloves which was immediately broken up by teammates.
"That's all right. That's just intensity," coach Cory Clouston said."They'll shake hands and make up."
Clouston also switched up the top two lines on Friday, swapping Nick Foligno and Daniel Alfredsson because there was "not enough production" coming from those lines.
with a game start time of 7:00pm EDT.Big story -- It's surely no surprise that the fortunes of the Thrashers ride heavily on the shoulders of captain Ilya Kovalchuk, and he's in top form to start the season. He has two goals in each of Atlanta's first two contests, including the 300th and 301st of his career in a 4-2 win in St. Louis on Thursday. His 301 goals and 105 power play goals lead the NHL since his rookie season in 2001-02. He's also racked up an impressive tally in Ottawa, with 11 goals and six assists in 13 road games against the Senators. Proving that no man can do it alone, however, his team is 5-8-0 in those games.
Team scope
:thrashers: -- After ranking 29th of 30 teams on the penalty kill last season, the Thrashers have snuffed six of seven to start. 18-year-old Evander Kane is pulling his weight early, proving effective on the kill and picking up a couple of points in the first two games, including his first NHL goal on Thursday.
:sens: -- Ottawa may be 0-for-7 with a man advantage, but they're on a two-game winning streak, beating the Maple Leafs and Islanders after falling to the Rangers in their opener last Saturday in New York. One of the more interesting side stories the past few days has been journeyman defenseman Matt Carkner's first NHL goal in the second period Thursday. The 28-year-old had played in only two NHL games before this season.
Meanwhile, Jason Spezza and Chris Neil had an exchange in practice Friday, according to a TSN report. Neil gave Spezza a two-hander to the back of the legs and Spezza answered in kind, leading to a dropping of the gloves which was immediately broken up by teammates.
"That's all right. That's just intensity," coach Cory Clouston said."They'll shake hands and make up."
Clouston also switched up the top two lines on Friday, swapping Nick Foligno and Daniel Alfredsson because there was "not enough production" coming from those lines.
