BY IAN MENDES
sportsnet.ca
Pascal Leclaire will get the start in goal for the Senators Friday night as the team welcomes the Buffalo Sabres for both clubs' season opener in Ottawa.
"He is supposed to be our go-to guy and we need to give him the opportunity to at least start game one," Senators Coach Cory Clouston said at morning practice.
Meanwhile Jason Spezza, after suffering a groin injury Wednesday, is being officially listed as a game-time decision. Clouston said the odds of him playing are 50-50.
However, the Senators are likely going to take a cautious approach with their star centre and give him a night off.
"I want to play -- but if the body doesn't want to play, it kind of makes the decision for you," Spezza said. "Obviously, I wish I was coming in and not having to talk about this."
If Spezza takes the ice, it could be a mixed reaction by a home crowd that booed him as the 2009-10 season ended with a 4-3 overtime loss to Pittsburgh in Game 6 of the quarterfinals.
"I was upset at losing, I was upset at the response I got. I see it in the newspapers every year," Spezza told the NHL's official website, referring to claims he demanded a trade from Murray. "They talk about me, and I said, 'If you want to move me you can move me - if you think it's best for the team.'"
Even without Spezza, who missed 20 games last season with a torn ligament in his right knee and finished with his fewest points (57) since 2003-04, the Senators are confident they can still find the back of the net.
Daniel Alfredsson is healthy following offseason hernia surgery, Milan Michalek is back after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the playoff opener, and Mike Fisher (team-high 25 goals), Nick Foligno, Alex Kovalev and Peter Regin could provide plenty of scoring punch.
"(Spezza) is a big part of our team and we can't wait for him to come back, but we'll be fine in the meantime," said Alfredsson, who led the Senators with 51 assists and 71 points last season.
The Senators also dealt with some other pre-season injuries, including defenceman Filip Kuba breaking his right leg on the first day of training camp.
Ottawa could also be in for a long season if Leclaire and Brian Elliott can't improve following a rough pre-season. Leclaire went 1-2-0 with a 4.43 GAA, while Elliott was 1-1-1 with a 3.24 GAA.
"Both of them will be fine," general manager Bryan Murray told the Senators' official website. "We know their capability. There are a few guys on our team that didn't have great camps and it's not just goaltending."
With files from STATS
