Chris Neil News

By the time game 4 rolled around in round 1, the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens despised each other.

Rugged winger Chris Neil dished out 10 hits in Ottawa's 2-1 double-overtime victory Sunday night against the Penguins, but one he took from Brooks Orpik in the corner sent him off the ice in the second overtime.

Ottawa Senators Jason Spezza takes part in a team practice in Ottawa Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Canada's Eric Staal lies injured on the ice after a hit by Sweden's Alexander Edler at the world hockey championships on Thursday.

The Penguins expect exactly that tonight from the Ottawa Senators, back home inside Scotiabank Place as the series shifts north of the Canadian border for Games 3 and 4. The Penguins plan to play with their own brand of desperation.

Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil attempts to check Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby during the first period of Game 1 of their NHL Eastern Conference semi-final hockey game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania May 14, 2013.

Ottawa Senators pest Chris Neil is nasty and a pain to play against, but it looks like Brooks Oprik found a way to one-up him during Game 1, which the Penguins won 4-1 at Consol Energy Center.

By dispatching the Montreal Canadiens in five games last week, the Ottawa Senators broke a long-standing curse on Canadian NHL teams: It marked the first time a Canadian squad has won a playoff series after reaching the Stanley Cup final in the new millennium.

The Ottawa Senators are the only Canadian team left in the NHL playoffs. That's a fun fact fans of the team can brag about to the six other teams in Canada.

So what is like to be called a "goon" by an opposing owner and told that you have no place in the NHL? To show up in an opposing building in front of hundreds of fans holding up most-wanted posters with your picture on them? To be a constant target for opposing players, looking to take you out with a big hit, clean or otherwise? "I try not to think ... (more)

After reviewing the goaltenders and the defensemen involved in the round 2 series between the Penguins and Senators, and giving the Sens an edge in both areas, what will the forward matchup look like? Jan 27, 2013; Ottawa, ON, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby skates in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson and checked by ... (more)

Greetings all, I hope you've enjoyed mothers day weekend, and the brief respite from playoff hockey related cardiovascular problems.

Ottawa Senators' Chris Neil punches Pittsburgh Penguins' Brooks Orpik during the first period of NHL hockey action at Scotiabank Place Monday, April 22, 2013.

As the Senators face off against the Canadiens in Game 5, and hundreds of thousands of fans cheer them on in Canada, one woman, laying on her bed in the dark on Ethiopia's night, will be listening intently to the game streamed live over the Internet, yelling just as loudly when the boys in red score a goal.

Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban insinuated Wednesday that the Ottawa Senators don't deserve to be ahead in this series based on their play.

Kyle Turris scored 2:32 into overtime, lifting the Senators past the Canadiens 3-2 Tuesday night to grab a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series.

The war of words between Montreal and Ottawa continued on Monday, as Habs head coach Michel Therrien accused the Senators of abusing star rookie Brendan Gallagher in Sunday's 6-1 loss .

Ottawa Senators' Jean-Gabriel Pageau, right, celebrates a goal on Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price as he holds his face after getting a high stick from P.K. Suban during the second period of game three of first round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on Sunday, May 5, 2013.

In Game 3 of their first round series, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators took their rivalry to another level with a brawl unlike anything we've seen this season.

While you never want to lose a game in a playoff series, coming back to home ice with a series split still puts Ottawa in a favorable position.