BY IAN MENDES
sportsnet.ca
Even though an injury has severely limited his effectiveness, Mike Fisher has no plans to sit out a game for the Ottawa Senators.
"It's something that's going to take time and I don't think really a game will make a huge difference for me," Fisher said Thursday afternoon. "I want to be in there and playing. It's slowly getting better, it's just going to take time. It's a frustrating thing."
The centre has been hampered by an undisclosed upper body injury for the past couple of weeks. As a result, Fisher has not been his usual physical presence on the fore-check, forcing him to play a passive game on the perimeter.
"A lot of times, you get your adrenaline and your legs from being physical and being able to fore-check and right now, I"m not able to do that," explained Fisher, who participated in the full team skate in St. Louis. "It's frustrating because my game - for me to be effective - is getting in the traffic areas and it's not a perimeter game. But that's what kind of what I feel I have to be right now. I'm no good on the perimeter - I'm not skilled enough."
Even though he doesn't boast about his own skill level, the Senators were counting on more offence from Fisher, who led the club with a career-high 25 goals last season. However, Fisher has gone seven straight games without a goal - registering just seven shots on goal with a minus-six rating in those games. He last scored on Nov. 2 in Toronto, which came on a penalty shot.
Senators head coach Cory Clouston will keep Fisher in his usual spot, centering a line with Daniel Alfredsson and Milan Michalek for Ottawa's game on Friday in St. Louis. But Clouston would like to see Fisher increase his aggressiveness in the offensive zone.
"Shooting the puck more and just playing his game," said Clouston when asked about what Fisher needs to improve on. "His game should allow him to have opportunities - and he just needs to capitalize on them."
Notes: Clouston said the mood of the team has vastly improved after the club went through an emotional 24 hours on Wednesday, which included attending the funeral service for Daron Richardson, the daughter of assistant coach Luke Richardson…David Hale and Brian Lee were once again the last two regulars off the ice after Thursday's practice in St. Louis, meaning the two defencemen will likely be healthy scratches again on Friday. ... Both the Senators and Blues enter Friday's contest, fresh off losses in which they surrendered seven goals. Ottawa lost 7-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes Wednesday night, while St. Louis were defeated 7-3 by the Detroit Red Wings ... The Senators are kicking off a stretch in which they play three consecutive Western Conference opponents: St. Louis (Friday), Los Angeles (Monday) and Dallas (Wednesday).
