-I wanted to include quotes from players going into tonight’s games, but you’ve heard all the cliches before.  The analysis offered in the papers has been deep and meaningful, with astonishing insight like goaltending will be important.  For my part I dive into the numbers for the series.

-Sens assistant GM Tim Murray was on The Team 1200 yesterday and said he wasn’t concerned about burning a year of Zibanejad‘s contract if they felt he could help the team win.  He also said they expect Jakob Silfverberg to join the team when the SEL playoffs are over (that could be as early as April 15th or as late as April 21st).  Nichols has the conversation transcribed for those who prefer reading it.

–Jared Crozier makes his prediction for the Sens series and see’s Ottawa winning in six.  He’s the first person I’ve seen who provides some of the performances within the regular season series between the teams.

-For those who missed it, octogenarian Bob Cole will be calling the Ottawa series, much to the chagrin of Sens fans everywhere.  My only advice: hockey is a beautiful game even with the sound off.

–Joy Lindsay reports that Wacey Hamilton and Dan Henningson‘s seasons are over due to injury.  She also interviewed Ben Blood who talked about his first two games with Binghamton:

The play is definitely faster. Guys are bigger, smarter, faster. You’ve got to be more positionally sound out there. You’ve got to support each other. But it’s also a little bit easier because all the guys are so much better. It just makes the game easier when you’re playing with better guys. I just want to be a big, physical, shutdown d-man out there. I’m just going to try to play my game, and play my game every night and every day at practice.

–Mark Stone‘s Brandon Wheat Kings have been eliminated in the WHL playoffs, but the Sens prospect was injured in their series so I’m not sure if he’ll join the NHL club or not.

-I watched the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia game last night and was struck by how much attention the media gave the missed call that lead to Briere‘s goal (making the game 3-1 Pittsburgh).  I mention it because of how many times the media has dismissed terrible officiating by saying it’s just an excuse and the NHL has the best officials in the world.  You have to wonder why this particular play excited them so much.  That being said, if you aren’t watching this series, you should be.  In the Nashville-Detroit series, Weber should be suspended, but he won’t be.

This article is written by Peter Levi, be sure to follow @eyeonthesens