“It was really bad. It got to the point where there was no way I was going to be able to play.”
That was Senators forward Jason Spezza today in Ottawa as he spoke to reporters about the pain he was under prior to having surgery for a herniated disc.
Looking forward, Spezza is hoping 1) that he’ll be back playing hockey soon, and 2) that this will be the end of the 29-year-old’s back issues.
To the first part: “The goal is to get back by the end of the season and to hopefully help us to the end of the year and the playoffs.”
To the second: “I do play hockey for a living and it’s not easy on the body, but the goal is to strengthen it and have it fixed and not be an issue moving forward. If there’s a doctor out there who can give me that guarantee, or I can give you that guarantee I’d love to have it.”
The Senators are 3-2-1 without Spezza in the lineup.
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Boston leads New York 1-0 in the series.
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‘It’s up in the air right now’: Kings’ Clifford skating, but a trip to San Jose?
May 18, 2013, 12:45 AM EDT
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Oh, the mystery.
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Ottawa has yet to play with the lead in this series.
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Ottawa in a hole.
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Video: Penguins’ Morrow scores game winner against Senators
May 17, 2013, 11:35 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh now two wins away from advancing to conference final.
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Senators’ coach MacLean: Karlsson ‘wasn’t one of the best players’
May 17, 2013, 11:08 PM EDT
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Drastic reduction in ice time in Game 2 compared to Game 1.
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Continue the debate.
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Sid the Kid nets three.
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Video: Penguins’ Vokoun denies Senators’ Greening on the breakaway
May 17, 2013, 9:49 PM EDT
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Ottawa hanging around in the third period.
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Rangers’ Staal skates Friday, but no word on possible return
May 17, 2013, 9:26 PM EDT
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Played once in these playoffs.
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Video: Crosby scores hat trick, hits playoff milestone against Senators
May 17, 2013, 9:01 PM EDT
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Pittsburgh up in Game 2, up in the series.
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After 12-game absence, Miller could return to Wings lineup on Saturday
May 17, 2013, 8:07 PM EDT
AP
He’s been out with a broken thumb.
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Torres won’t appeal suspension, Sharks call punishment ‘grossly unfair’
May 17, 2013, 8:02 PM EDT
According to Sharks GM Doug Wilson.
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Havlat ‘getting closer and closer,’ could return for Sharks in Game 3
May 17, 2013, 7:12 PM EDT
Oh, and Adam Burish has a broken hand.
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AP
Shots haven’t been a problem
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Seth Jones, Nathan McKinnon and Jonathan Drouin all on hand.
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Avery: Playing for Tortorella ‘one of the best things that ever happened to me’
May 17, 2013, 5:04 PM EDT
Well, that was certainly unexpected.
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Both are tall defensemen, but only one is getting kudos for his conditioning.
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“He’s trying to do things the right way.”
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Marc-Edouard Vlasic would be cool with that probably.
