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Sunday, March 09, 2003

By Dave Molinari, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Matchup: Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators, 7:08 p.m. today, Corel Centre.

TV, radio: Fox Sports Net; WWSW-FM (94.5), WBGG-AM (970).

Probable goaltenders: Sebastien Caron for Penguins. Patrick Lalime for Senators.

Penguins: Are 2-7-1 in away games since Jan. 18. ... LW Martin Straka has just four goals in 23 road games. ... Are 4-8 in second game when playing on consecutive days.

Senators: Are 1-3-1 in past five home games against Penguins, including 4-1 loss Oct. 30. ... Have 6-4-4 record in second game when playing two days in a row. ... Must win two of final seven games at Corel Centre to tie franchise record of 26 home victories set in 2000-01.

Hidden stat: Senators have not gone more than one game without a victory on home ice this season.

The Penguins scratched RW Aleksey Morozov (wrist), RW Mikael Samuelsson (knee), LW Jan Hrdina (groin), D Michal Rozsival (hand), D Joel Bouchard (jaw) and D Josef Melichar (shoulder) for their game against Ottawa at Mellon Arena last night. The Senators played without RW Martin Havlat (groin), LW Vaclav Varada (knee), D Anton Volchenkov (groin) and LW Petr Schastlivy (abdomen).

New Jersey was the only NHL team to assign a scout to the game, but the Devils weren't the only organization evaluating the talent on hand. Two members of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation, Hardy Nilsson and Claes Goran Wallin, were present to assess Penguins who might be invited to compete in the world championships. Candidates include G Johan Hedberg, D Dick Tarnstrom and D Hans Jonsson. Samuelsson, who is expected to be out another week or so, also is a candidate to play for Team Sweden.

One of the most popular mantras among members of non-playoff teams at this time of year is that they're playing for jobs next season. Why trying to hold onto steady work didn't inspire them to play better the first 60 or so games never is explained. Penguins D Shean Heins, however, contends that individual performances are easily overlooked if the team is struggling. "Guys are worried about contracts for next year and that, but it's more important to play well as a team than individually," he said. "If you're having a pretty good year individually, but the team isn't doing that well, not a lot of teams are going to want you."

General Manager Craig Patrick, as always, is reluctant to predict whether there will be a lot of movement around the league before the 3 p.m. Tuesday trade deadline. "You never know," he said. "After the trade deadline, I'll be as surprised as anybody by what's happened, whether it's a lot or less [than usual]." One wild card in trade talks this year is that the league's collective bargaining agreement with its players expires in 2004, and there's a possibility that some teams will balk at taking on high-priced talent if they fear a salary cap will be instituted after next season. "It's hard to say, because nobody knows what the [terms of the next] CBA is going to be," Patrick said. "Or when we're going to have a new one. So it's hard to say whether that's going to have a bearing on people's decisions."

Senators C Jason Spezza, the second player taken in the 2001 draft, was promoted from the American Hockey League a few days ago and made it clear to Ottawa reporters that he relishes the opportunity to play against Penguins C Mario Lemieux, who has not committed to playing after this season. "Mario was my guy growing up," Spezza said. "He was my idol. I've played against him once already, but now, with a chance to play him back-to-back, it's really exciting. You never know when he's going to stop playing. You have to cherish these moments. It's exciting for me. I already have a puck that was autographed by him a couple of years ago. I think I might hang around the morning stake and ask him for one of his sticks." Or maybe not. The Penguins didn't hold a game-day skate yesterday and don't plan to this morning, either.

The Penguins have lost eight consecutive games and are unraveling during the stretch drive for the second year in a row. Nonetheless, RW Shean Donovan insists that playing for the Penguins in times like these is not drudgery, that there never is a day when he isn't excited about going to the rink. "It will never be like that," he said. "It's an honor to play in this league. All of us have worked hard to get here, and we're working hard to establish ourselves because there are lots of guys, including myself, who have to prove ourselves night in and night out. Plus, you never know what might happen."

The Penguins have struggled a lot on the road -- and anywhere else with artificial ice -- in recent weeks, but D Marc Bergevin believes that being out of town can work to the Penguins' benefit. "I think guys actually feel more comfortable playing on the road," he said. "[There are fewer] distractions, I guess. If you don't shoot the puck on the power play, the fans don't boo. If you ice the puck when you're in trouble, they don't boo. All you worry about is 20 guys. You don't have to worry about 20,000."

Some players fret a lot -- and lose more than a little sleep -- as the trade deadline approaches, wondering whether their tenure with a particular team is winding down. "You don't know if something's going to happen with you, or with somebody sitting beside you," Penguins LW Steve McKenna said. "It's always in the back of your mind. You just mark the date on your calendar and hope to get by it." Utilityman Ian Moran views the deadline more like a fan and enjoys the speculation -- well-founded or otherwise -- about moves that might be made. "I'm sure that if you're a name that's being thrown around out there all the time, that would be a bit of a distraction," he said. "But, if you're just a guy who likes to follow the rumors and that kind of stuff, it's actually pretty entertaining,"

As if trying to win tonight wouldn't be hard enough, the Penguins will face yet another hurdle when they visit the Corel Centre. The Senators plan to wear their alternate jerseys, in which they are 8-2-2 this season.

The world-class forward the Penguins traded to the New York Rangers Feb. 10 didn't just get a new employer and uniform that day; he got a new identity. After years of being listed in the NHL's daily statistical release as "Alexei Kovalev," he now is identified there as "Alex Kovalev."

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON (28-26-5-5) did not play.

WHEELING (23-33-3) lost, 5-3, at Reading. LW Bobby Russell scored his 19th goal, RW Michel Ouellet his 15th, D Dmitri Doulebenets his eighth. G Tyler MacKay stopped 33 of 37 shots.