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Senators aim to continue strong start

Oct 20, 2007 - 4:35 PM Florida (3-4-0) at Ottawa (7-1-0) 7:00 pm EDT

OTTAWA (Ticker) -- Martin Gerber may be giving up his starting job soon, but he's not going to make it an easy decision for the scorching Ottawa Senators.

The team looks to improve on their NHL-best point total when they host the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Ray Emery, who is the regular goaltender for Ottawa, has been afforded plenty of time to recover from offseason wrist surgery due to the play in net by Gerber. The 33-year-old Swiss netminder leads the NHL with six wins, is seventh in save percentage (.936) and ninth in goals-against average (2.13).

Emery, however, is expected back soon - possibly Saturday - as he recently completed a conditioning stint in the minors. That leaves coach John Paddock with a dilemma - stick with the hot-handed Gerber or opt for the 25-year-old Ontario native who helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals last season.

One of the league's best offenses has given Gerber room for error. The relentless line of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza already has accounted for 13 goals and 22 assists.

Heatley has seven goals and is tied for the second in the league with Calgary's Daymond Langkow. Spezza has at least one point in all seven games and leads the NHL with 11 assists.

Recent history does not bode well for the Panthers, who lost all four meetings against Ottawa last season and fell to 4-18-1 in the last 23 meetings.

Panthers center Olli Jokinen was held scoreless for the second straight game in the team's 3-2 loss on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jokinen is tied with the recently-retired Scott Mellanby for the franchise lead in points at 354. Additionally, his next goal will be his 157th with Florida, tying him with Mellanby for the club record.