Sens D Volchenkov plans to play

Apr 11, 2008 - 4:40 PM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Ottawa Senators defenseman Anton Volchenkov said he expects to be in the lineup Friday when the team visits the Pittsburgh Penguins for Game Two of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

Volchenkov left Wednesday's 4-0 loss to Pittsburgh midway through the second period after being hit in the head with a slap shot by Evgeni Malkin.

Though the shot hit Volchenkov in the helmet, he still required 15 stitches to close a gash on his forehead and the area above his left eye remains swollen.

"I guess they call it a pressure cut," Ottawa coach Bryan Murray said of Volchenkov's injury after Wednesday's game. "It was quite severe. He couldn't put his helmet on at the time."

Murray said the defenseman's return is actually dependent on the training staff's ability to find a helmet that can fit over - and protect - Volchenkov's head.

"(The injury is) not bad," Volchenkov said Thursday. "Today feels better. At first (when it happened), I thought it was pretty serious. Now it's fine."

A noted shot-blocker who averages 20:30 of ice time per game, Volchenkov's presence is needed considering the club already is dealing with injuries to Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher and Chris Kelly.