Senators' Spezza out against Canadiens

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators' top center, Jason Spezza, will miss his second straight game Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens.

Spezza, who has been sidelined with an upper-body injury, is still being evaluated, according to coach Paul MacLean. The injury occurred sometime during Ottawa's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. MacLean did not know whether Spezza would be absent for a significant period of time.

MacLean will start Kyle Turris at center, alongside Spezza's regular left wing, Milan Michalek. Daniel Alfredsson will play right wing on that line.

The Senators were victorious against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night without Spezza in the lineup, but his absence is being felt in the dressing room and the team has been required to make adjustments.

"It's a big void out there; Spezza plays a lot of minutes for us and he's big on the faceoff," Chris Neil said. "But it's another opportunity for other guys to step up. It makes us more of a four-line team. We can roll all four, and we've got the confidence to put our third or fourth line out against their top two lines to get the job. It has to be a group effort in here."