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Wednesday, November 24, 1999
Hossa 'a lot better' after first practice
If Marian Hossa gets his wish, he'll be back in the lineup Thursday when the Senators visit the Thrashers in Atlanta.
Ottawa's super sophomore missed Saturday's game against New Jersey with a concussion suffered Nov. 18 against San Jose, but skated in practice yesterday for the first time since the injury.
"I felt pretty good today, a lot better than a few days ago," said the man whose 11 goals lead the team in scoring.
However, the Senators will be cautious. The concussion was diagnosed as minor, but head injuries in professional sports are scrutinized much more closely than in the past.
"The medical staffs are a lot more concerned with those types of injuries now, and so are the players," said Senators coach Jacques Martin. "Whenever there are hits to the head, people seem to be a lot more cautious and careful as to when to come back to action."
Hossa wasn't involved in any contact drills yesterday.
"It's going to be different with contact," he said. "You have to be real careful with head injuries. They're really sensitive. I just have a minor concussion, so it should take four or five days and hopefully I can play."
ACHES AND PAINS: W Magnus Arvedson and D Chris Phillips did not practise yesterday. Arvedson, who scored Ottawa's only goal during Saturday's 3-1 loss in New Jersey, rested a minor groin injury. Phillips has recurring pain in an ankle, a minor injury that hasn't taken him out of the lineup, but has caused some aggravation.
"We expect them back Thursday," said Martin. "I think it's just time off for both of them to heal their injuries."
Ottawa is reeling from the injury bug, with nine players nursing some sort of wound.
ODDS AND ENDS: The Senators are 11-4-0 when they score first this season ... Shawn McEachern needs two goals to tie Alexandre Daigle for third place on the all-time Senators list. Daigle had 74 before he was shipped to Philadelphia.
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