The Devils and Senators will be facing off in 10 minutes at the CAA for Game One. The Devs will be without captain Patrik Elias, who is out sick. A big loss no doubt for them on one of those top two scoring lines. So who will step up? Rookie David Clarkson gets the call. This guy is a solid player. Defenseman Colin White returns and replaces Johnny Oduya.
The Sharks and Red Wings get underway at the bottom half of the hour in Hockey Town which will air on Versus.

Here’s some relevant info to pass along on key Wing grinder Tomas Holmstrom, who will miss Game 1 with a bad eye:
FROM THE STAT WIZARDS AT ELIAS SPORTS BUREAU
Detroit and San Jose open their series tonight at Joe Louis Arena. Tomas Holmstrom will miss tonight’s game after suffering a cut left eyelid in the series finale against Calgary. Prior to today, Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom were the only Red Wings who had played in all 98 of the team’s playoff games since 1998. Kirk Maltby (97 games) and Kris Draper (95) have been nearly ever-present for Detroit over the last nine playoff years.
And now for some articles:

1.Spezza foresees shadow

“Position,” said Spezza. “He’s never willing to put himself in a compromising position. He always stays above the guy that he’s covering. He doesn’t let the guy get a step around him. He’s really willing to sacrifice offence for defence. He can still beat you on turnovers and he’s still decent offensively, but he’s willing to wait all game to shut you down.”

2.Beware the grinning Devil

“We’re in fantasy land and I’ve always appreciated that,” Gomez said Wednesday following the Devils’ final practice in advance of their second-round playoff opener tonight against Ottawa. “What’s not to love? I mean, I play hockey, I’m in a locker room, this is my job.”

Of course he’s right.

3.Sharks setting their own tradition

“I remember he tried to give me a Pepsi and I wouldn’t take it,” Wilson said. “I was a Maple Leafs guy, a Dave Keon guy, not a Gordie Howe guy. I got off his knee as fast as I could.”

Is Mark Purdy taking the Wings lightly? I think so.

4.Babcock changing perception of Wings

“I don’t know if that (soft) label is gone and I don’t care,” Babcock said. “I think a lot of times, people talk about stuff they know nothing about — even the so-called experts who never see us play. Only time will tell, right?

5.Coming out party for Vanek

“It’s been a learning year,� Ruff said. “It’s been a growing year. It’s been a maturing year, and I still feel it is. That was a bigtime tip, and that was a big-time goal he came up with late in the second period.�

6.Poised Pronger sets the tone for Ducks

“If he didn’t want to be part of our leadership group at the beginning of the year, that was fine. Just go be Chris Pronger,” Carlyle said.

“To some degree, it’s an advantage that we play in a nontraditional hockey market that you can go hide a little bit. I think that’s what he did. I think he was able to get back to a comfort level.”

And we’re ready for hockey. Remarkably, the Sens have already scored as a Sens’ shot deflected off someone in front.

They got it 90 seconds in. There’s already been some hitting in this one. It might be worth checking out.