OTTAWA -- Here is the projected lineup for the Ottawa Senators heading into Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC) at Scotiabank Place on Monday.

Captain Daniel Alfredsson confirmed that he would return to the lineup after being sidelined the last three games with a concussion suffered in Game 2.

Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Mark Stone
Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Daniel Alfredsson
Colin Greening - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
Erik Condra - Jim O'Brien - Zenon Konopka

Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson
Jared Cowen - Sergei Gonchar
Chris Phillips - Matt Carkner

Craig Anderson
Ben Bishop

OTTAWA, Ont. – Barring a setback, it appears there is a distinct possibility captain Daniel Alfredsson could play in Game 6 against the Rangers on Monday.

Alfredsson, who has been sidelined with a concussion since Game 2, took part in the optional practice at Scotiabank Place Sunday afternoon, just several hours after Ottawa took a win in Game 5 to take a three-games-to-two lead in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series.

“I feel good,” Alfredsson said. “It’s nice to be back on the ice – I skated a bit on my own on [Saturday] as well. Today’s another step and it’s been a good couple of days. I’m hopeful. We’re obviously going to wait until [Monday] but the way the last two days felt, I’m encouraged. So unless something changes, that’s it.”

While he was frustrated by sitting out, the captain has been impressed with the way the team has played in his absence.

“We’ve done a great job on defense and in our own end,” Alfredsson said. “Penalty killing has been outstanding, but also, just playing hard every shift – that’s been our mentality throughout the whole year. We’re going to give it everything we have and see where we end up in the end. We need another gutsy effort [on Monday] and need everyone to bring their best. “

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators held their final practice on Friday morning prior to departing for New York without captain Daniel Alfredsson. The Sens will face off against the New York Rangers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series Saturday night.

Here are the lines as they appeared during practice:

Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Bobby Butler
Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Mark Stone/Mike Hoffman
Colin Greening - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
Zenon Konopka - Jim O'Brien - Erik Condra

Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson
Jared Cowen - Sergei Gonchar
Chris Phillips - Matt Carkner

Craig Anderson
Ben Bishop

Stone and Hoffman saw time on the second line and coach Paul MacLean confirmed that Stone would be traveling to New York with the team.

“We’re keeping all of our player options open,” he said.

Alfredsson (concussion) did not skate, and MacLean informed the media that the captain would remain in Ottawa, along with Jesse Winchester (upper body). There has been no change in the conditions of either player.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators took Thursday off after their 3-2 overtime victory against the New York Rangers in Game 4 Wednesday. The Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series now stands tied 2-2, with Game 5 sent for Saturday (7 pm.  ET, NBCSN, CBC) in New York.

Captain Daniel Alfredsson [concussion] remains sidelined and his status for Game 5 is unclear.

"Nothing’s changed. I'm just going to come in [on Friday] and see if he's here," coach Paul MacLean said.  "If he's not, he's not. If he is, that'd be great. But I can't speculate what day or when he's going to be here. It's just one of those things you have to be patient with. I think he's feeling better all the time and he's working out. We're not practicing [Thursday] so he's not skating, either. We're in the process of getting him back. I talked to him really briefly. He was real positive and happy with the team win."

Jesse Winchester is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but MacLean wouldn't offer any details on how the injury occurred. The forward left the game Wednesday in the second period and did not return.

OTTAWA -- Here are the Ottawa Senators' projected lines for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series with the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Place:

Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Colin Greening
Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Bobby Butler
Erik Condra - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
Zenon Konopka - Jim O'Brien - Jesse Winchester

Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson
Jared Cowen - Sergei Gonchar
Chris Phillips - Matt Carkner

Craig Anderson
Ben Bishop

Mike Hoffman, who was called up from Binghamton on Sunday, spent some time skating with the second line, but coach Paul MacLean was coy about whether he would use Hoffman, only saying that he was "keeping all options open." Hoffman played in one regular season game with the Senators on Dec. 23, and did not register a point.

There was no update on Daniel Alfredsson (concussion), who was absent from the ice for the second consecutive day.

Spezza said the team has closed the book on their 1-0 in Game 3 and needs to focus only on tonight.

"You've got to cut your losses and not hang on to it," he said. "You learn from every game, every game you take something [away from it.] We did a lot of things well last game, now we [just have to] score and for us, I think it would benefit our team if we tried to get out to a lead. We haven't played with a lead for much in the series at all."

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean told reporters Tuesday that team captain Daniel Alfredsson had a "setback" in his recovery from a concussion and his status is unknown for Game 4 of the team's Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the New York Rangers.

The Senators took part in an optional practice Tuesday afternoon, following their 1-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday night at Scotiabank Place. The Rangers currently lead the Sens 2-1 in their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series.

Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson were absent from the ice. Karlsson and Anderson took a maintenance day, while Alfredsson continues to recover from his concussion. Alfredsson received a blow to the head from the Rangers' Carl Hagelin during the second period of Game 2. The captain participated in the morning skate on Monday and was listed as a game-time decision for Game 3, but did not play. Alfredsson has now suffered a setback in his recovery, leaving his availability for Game 4 unclear.

"We're going to evaluate it and see what it is in the morning," MacLean said. "If [Alfredsson] is better and things go good, we'll evaluate the lineup and make decisions then.

"He's the captain of the team. He's the most experienced player on the team. It's a big loss for any team. I think the team stepped up and played really well. I thought Bobby [Butler] went in and played real well for us. That's what we need to happen. When a team faces adversity, it's an opportunity. We're not replacing Daniel Alfredsson. We don't have that player."

The Senators' practice largely focused on special teams, with MacLean spending most of the skate working with the team's first power play unit of Milan Michalek, Jason Spezza, Butler, Filip Kuba and Sergei Gonchar. The Sens' power play is 1-for-10 through three games, with the only goal on the man-advantage coming from Erik Karlsson in Game 2.

OTTAWA -- Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson will not be in the lineup for Game 3 of the team's Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series on Monday night against the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET, NHLN-US, CBC).

There was no immediate indication as to who would dress in Alfredsson's place.

The Senators captain admitted he received a concussion after Carl Hagelin elbowed him in the head during Game 2 on Saturday. Alfredsson left the ice and did not return. However, Monday saw the 39-year-old take part in a full skate. Alfredsson said he would gauge how he felt in the hours between the skate and the game, and if he felt up to it, he would be in the lineup.

"We'll see -- we'll decide at game time if I'm playing or not," Alfredsson said. "I have felt better. [Sunday] was better than Saturday. Bike ride yesterday -- I felt pretty good throughout the day … was active at home with the kids … felt pretty good this morning. Next step obviously is to skate today, which I did this morning, and we'll see what happens."

When asked about his previous concussion history, Alfredsson said he has to play it by ear.

"Every situation is different, you take it as it comes, it is what is," Alfredsson said. "You can't force something like this -- you feel what you feel. I find [it's best] to just relax and go with the flow. If it's good, it's good. If it's not, it's not. You can't do anything about it. The less stress you put on yourself, the more you help yourself."

Despite being taken out of the game, Alfredsson holds no ill will against Hagelin, who received a three-game suspension for the incident.

"It's hard -- I don't think [Hagelin] is that kind of guy," Alfredsson said. "With the intensity and the things that go on in a playoff game, things happen. He gets an elbow up; maybe he wouldn't if it's not a playoff game. If there's one thing that the League is preaching, it's blows to the head. I'm sure they went through [the video] a lot of times and I'm sure they did the right thing in watching.

"I'm not the type of guy who's going to hold a grudge. It's playoff hockey. If it needs to be disciplined, the League will take care of that and move on."

OTTAWA -- Here are the Ottawa Senators' projected lines for Game 3 against the New York Rangers on Monday night at Scotiabank Place:

Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Jesse Winchester
Nick Foligno - Kyle Turris - Daniel Alfredsson
Colin Greening - Zack Smith - Chris Neil
Zenon Konopka - Jim O'Brien - Erik Condra

Filip Kuba - Erik Karlsson
Jared Cowen - Sergei Gonchar
Chris Phillips - Matt Gilroy

Craig Anderson
Ben Bishop

Kaspars Daugavins, Rob Klinkhammer and Bobby Butler are the healthy scratches. Matt Carkner will serve a one-game suspension for his incident involving Brian Boyle during Game 2. Daniel Alfredsson (concussion) is a game-time decision. Coach Paul MacLean said the captain has taken his baseline test and passed.

Winchester, the latest addition to the No. 1 line, plans on making room for Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek to do their job.

"I'm going to contribute physically and take pucks to the net," Winchester said. "I'm just going to try and grind their team down and use my body. I have to keep improving and matching everything that they bring to us."

MacLean hopes to use Winchester's wheels to the top line's advantage.

"He plays with speed," MacLean said. "He get can get on the forecheck and use his speed to his advantage. He handles the puck fine. That's what we like."

KANATA, Ont. – Ottawa coach Paul MacLean played it close to the vest after Sunday afternoon’s optional skate at Scotiabank Place. The news was guardedly positive on Daniel Alfredsson, who received a blow to the head from the Rangers’ Carl Hagelin during Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series on Saturday.

“[Alfredsson] was feeling good today,” MacLean said. “He’ll be further evaluated and we’ll see what he’s like [on Monday]. At this point, I don’t know [if he’ll take part in the morning skate]. I don’t have an opinion on [the hit] at any time. It’s playoff hockey. It’s Brendan [Shanahan’s] job.”

Carl Hagelin does face a disciplinary hearing with Shanahan on sunday for the elbow, which was penalized by a five-minute major.

MacLean was also happy with the way his team played in Game 2 after appearing to struggle with the pace and intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 1.

“I think the whole game, we played physical. The puck contests were physical. I thought we handled momentum in the second game better, and we handled the 60 minutes [well], not like the first game where we had a four or five minute lull. We need to keep that going.”

KANATA, Ont. – The Ottawa Senators held an optional practice Sunday afternoon, with only a handful of  players taking a twirl on the ice.

Colin Greening, Chris Neil, Craig Anderson and Jim O’Brien were witnessed playing a spirited game of soccer in the halls of Scotiabank Place. Kaspars Daugavins, Matt Carkner, Bobby Butler, Rob Klinkhammer, Alex Auld and Ben Bishop were the few who chose to lace up the skates.

“Today is just going to be a rest day for us, and try and get away from the game a little bit,” Jason Spezza said. “Eat well, sleep well … tomorrow we regain our focus. We went over the video of [Saturday’s] game; stuff we did [well], stuff we need to improve on. Now we park that game.”

After tying their series with the Rangers 1-1 at Madison Square Garden, the Sens are content to get back in their own building.

“We’re happy to be home now in front of our fans,” Spezza said. “We’re excited to see the reception we get here. Now we have the opportunity to use the crowd to our advantage. Hopefully they’ll come support us and give us that extra little bit of energy.”