Game Day #1: Senators @ Rangers

7:00 PM ET

CBC (Ottawa Region)

FanSided Enemy: Blue Line Station

Tonight, the Ottawa Senators FINALLY open their 2009-2010 season at the Madison Square Garden in downtown New York City. After an off-season of tumoltous news and eventually changes, we finally get to see some action on the ice. All the lines are different from how they were at the end of last season, so some Sens fans will have to remember that we’re not that same, boring team from last year. I am so psyched up for this season and truly believe Clouston will take this team to the playoffs. I’m not so sure of a series win in the holy land, but if they make the playoffs that will be a HUGE improvement from last year.

The lineup you see in the top sidebar under “Lineup” is the one playing tonight. Shean Donovan and Alexandre Picard take the night off as healthy scratches. One of the big things today will be if they can find some early chemistry. New York also had an off-season of change, but some are doubting the signings of Gaborik, Kotalik, and Prospal. I personally think they will make it but right now, they will lose to us. The offense looks similar with tons of depth for both team, something they did not have last season. Gaborik took yesterday’s game wth the Pens by storm and Phillchenkov need to prevent that guy from getting any shot on net.

Defense is the same,3 good defensive guys and three good offensive guys. Tonight will also be a showdown between young guns Erik Karlssom and Michael Del Zotto. Lundqvist vs. Leclaire should also be good.

Ottawa 4 (Foligno, Campoli, Spezza, Kovalev)  New York 1 (Roszival)