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Penguins open with struggling Senators

Apr 9, 2008 - 12:39 PM Ottawa at Pittsburgh 7:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference quarterfinals

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The Pittsburgh Penguins may have revenge on their minds when they host the Ottawa Senators in Game One of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh was ousted in five games by Ottawa in the quarterfinals last season, which was the first playoff series for the 2006-07 Hart Trophy winner, Sidney Crosby. The former first-round pick had three goals and two assists in the postseason.

But this season, Crosby, who missed 29 games due to a high ankle sprain, has had plenty of help as Evgeni Malkin was ranked second in the league with 106 points, including 47 goals.

The duo along with All-Star Marian Hossa, who was acquired at the trade deadline, has Pittsburgh in position to win a playoff series for the first time since 2001.

"Last year, they took us out in five and we want to give them some payback," Penguins center Jordan Staal said. "We know what we can do and the team we have. As long as we get a strong start on the series, I think that we'll be fine."

Ottawa, which went 3-0-1 in the four regular season meetings between the teams this season, ended the campaign in a 2-5-1 swoon, falling into seventh place in the East.

Injuries may be a key issue for the Senators, who will be without 40-goal scorer Daniel Alfredsson. The team captain is expected to miss this series after injuring his knee last Thursday.

Second-line leader Mike Fisher also is sidelined with a knee injury.

Defense will be another issue for Ottawa, which allowed 247 goals during the regular season - the most of any team that qualified for the playoffs.

Dany Heatley scored 41 goals and Jason Spezza led the team with 58 assists to lead the defending Eastern Conference champions during the regular season.

The Penguins closed the season by earning at least a point in 11 consecutive home games (9-0-2) and 22 of the final 24 (19-2-3) en route to capturing the Atlantic Division title - its first division crown since the 1997-98 season.