Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

After 15-game absence, Sens’ Michalek ‘has green light’ to play tonight

Milan Michalek

Ottawa Senators’ Milan Michalek celebrates after scoring a goal against the Calgary Flames during third period NHL hockey action against the Ottawa Senatoris in Ottawa on Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Pawel Dwulit)

AP

Yesterday, Ottawa snapped its longest losing streak of the season.

Today, another positive development.

The club announced that forward Milan Michalek has been given the green light to play, and is primed to suit up tonight against New Jersey -- which would be his first game since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Mar. 19.

Michalek actually hasn’t played in a game since Mar. 8 -- a 3-2 win over the Rangers -- and has been limited to just 15 games all told this season because of his wonky knee.

Despite that, he’s still managed to put up good numbers, recording 2G-8A-10PTS in those 15 games.

The 28-year-old winger was Ottawa’s leading scorer last season, posting a career-best 35 tallies while averaging a career-best 19:33 time on ice per game.

And his return to the lineup couldn’t come at a better time.

The Sens snapped a five-game losing streak on Thursday with a 3-1 win over Philly, but are still struggling to score goals.

Ottawa sits 23rd in the NHL in goals per game (2.38) and has just 10 goals in its last six contests.