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Gerber aims to continue Senators' hot start

Oct 6, 2007 - 1:27 PM NY Rangers (1-0-0) at Ottawa (2-0-0) 7:00 pm EDT

OTTAWA (Ticker) - The Ottawa Senators pursue their second 3-0 start in three years on Saturday when they host the New York Rangers.

Ray Emery, who was in net for the Senators on their way to the Eastern Conference title last season, had left wrist surgery in June and is not yet completely healed. That left the starting job to Martin Gerber, who lost that position last season to Emery in mid-November.

The 33-year-old made 41 saves for Ottawa in Thursday's 3-2 win over Toronto, helping Gerber improve to 12-1-2 in his last 15 starts and allowing the Senators to complete the home-and-home sweep over the Maple Leafs.

The good play in goal has set things up nicely for the offensive players. Right wing Dany Heatley, who recently signed a six-year, $45 million with Ottawa, and right wing Daniel Alfredsson have capitalized as each have scored three goals and accounted for eight points through two games.

That torrid scoring pace is right in line with their offensive prowess from last season, as the two teamed up with center Jason Spezza to score 113 of the team's 288 goals.

Meanwhile, New York's two biggest offseason acquisitions - centers Chris Drury and Scott Gomez - made their debuts on Thursday as the Rangers scored four third-period goals for a 5-2 season-opening victory over the Florida Panthers.

Drury, who helped the Buffalo Sabres knock the Rangers out of the conference semifinals of the playoffs last season, scored his first goal with his new team that broke a 2-2 third-period tie, sparking a three-goal outburst over a 4 minute, 16-second span that put away the game for New York.

Helped by a defense that limited the Panthers to eight third-period shots, Ranger netminder Henrik Lundqvist blanked Florida in the final period after being blistered with 21 shot through 40 minutes.

The 25-year-old is 2-5-0 in eight career games against the Senators but has allowed only six goals in his last four appearances.

Veteran right wing Jaromir Jagr, who opened his 16th season with two assists, has found the net just twice against Ottawa over his last four seasons - a span of 15 games.