• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Spezza, Senators seek to solve Canadiens

Nov 6, 2010 - 2:44 PM (Sports Network) - Senators forward Jason Spezza didn't show any signs of a nagging groin injury his last time out on the ice. He'll look to further put the ailment behind him this evening when Ottawa aims for its first win over the Montreal Canadiens in three chances this season.

Spezza has missed five games due to his ailment, including four straight contests in late October. He failed to notch a point in his first two games back from the injury, but exploded for a goal and three assists in Thursday's 4-1 victory over the Islanders.

The second overall pick of the 2001 draft upped his point total to nine by recording is ninth career game of at least four points and first since March 30.

Sergei Gonchar and David Hale also scored for Ottawa, which has won four of its last five games overall. Brian Elliott finished with 28 saves in his ninth straight start.

"I think we're starting to hit our stride, starting to play a bit better, starting to play a solid 60 minutes as opposed to 40 or 20 at times, " said Chris Kelly, who added an empty-net tally. "I thought tonight was a good effort all around."

Elliott is 3-3-1 with a 3.10 goals-against average in his career versus Montreal, but has given up seven goals on 71 shots in a pair of losses to them this year, including a 4-3 loss in Montreal on Oct. 16 and a 3-0 blanking in Ottawa a week later.

Spezza has just a goal and three assists in his last six games versus the Canadiens, including a pair of assists in the loss at the Bell Centre.

Habs forward Andrei Kostitsyn has three goals and an assist in the two meetings, while goaltender Carey Price made 19 saves in his third career shutout versus Ottawa last time the clubs met. He is 6-4-0 lifetime versus the Sens with a 2.65 GAA.

Montreal's two-game win streak over Ottawa comes after a four-game series slide and the club snapped a four-game series skid at home in the earlier meeting at the Bell Centre.

The Senators have still won seven of the last 10 meetings overall.

Ottawa is expected to be without forward Milan Michalek for a fourth straight game due to left knee tendinitis, while defenseman Filip Kuba has yet to play in a game this year due to a broken right leg. He could return to the lineup as early as Tuesday.

The Canadiens snapped a two-game slide last night, picking up a 3-2 victory at Buffalo for their fifth victory in seven games. With Tomas Plekanec out due to flu-like symptoms, Benoit Pouliot stepped up with two goals and Price made 29 saves. Jeff Halpern added a goal and assisted on both of Pouliot's tallies.

Price has started all but one of Montreal's games this year and is 7-4-1 with a 2.40 GAA.

Plekanec has five goals and a team high-tying 10 points in 12 games this year, but his status for tonight is uncertain.