Senators Get Three Pieces of Good News Ahead of Thursday's Home Opener

After a much-needed day off, the Ottawa Senators returned to practice Thursday morning with some encouraging injury news ahead of their first meaningful home game in more than five months.

The Sens will take on the Philadelphia Flyers in their home opener Thursday night and there was some good news on three injury fronts.

Travis Green confirmed after practice that Linus Ullmark (2-0) is ready to go. Ullmark was dinged up in Boston on Monday and did not dress at all in the Tuesday loss to Detroit. But he was back at practice Thursday and will start against the Flyers.

Meanwhile, Artem Zub and Andre Burakovsky both traded their non-contact yellow jerseys for regular ones. It's another encouraging step for both players, although Green confirmed neither will suit up on Thursday night.

Burakovsky was an extra with Hayden Hodgson, while Zub rotated in with Nikolas Matinpalo and Cam Crotty.

For the record, Crotty has looked pretty steady on Ottawa's blue line, playing a style of game that's not a lot different than Zub's.

The one negative is that Jake Sanderson still isn't yet skating with the team after reinjuring himself in the season opener in Toronto on Saturday. He remains out with a lower body issue but is skating on his own.

The top six forward group has been tweaked a little from the start of the Detroit game. William Eklund, who had a goal and an assist in Detroit, switched spots with Ridly Greig. Eklund will skate with the Sens top two scorers so far, Tim Stützle (6 pts) and Drake Batherson (3 pts).

Eklund-Stutzle-Batherson
Greig-Cozens-Zetterlund
Amadio-Pinto-Giroux
Foegele-Halliday-Cousins

Chabot-Spence
Kleven-Yakemchuk
Matinpalo-Crotty 

Ullmark
Ersson

The Senators (2-1-0) will try to shake off their 5-3 loss in Detroit on Tuesday. That was their third road game in four days and as a result, the club looked a little out of sorts.

As for the Flyers (0-2-2), they're the very definition of out of sorts. 

Through four games, they're allowing a staggering 39.5 shots per game, 8.5 more than any other team in the league. At the other end, the Flyers are generating just 19.3 shots per game, also the worst mark in the NHL.

If those trends continue, the Senators should have plenty of chances to dictate the play in their home opener. 

Thursday will also be an emotional night for Senators fans as the club honours the late Ray Emery, who backstopped the Sens to the 2007 Stanley Cup Final. Emery's family will be on hand to ring the ceremonial bell before the game.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News