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Pressure cooker Rookie Spezza makes playoff debut for SenatorsPosted: Monday May 19, 2003 7:22 PMOTTAWA (AP) -- The Ottawa Senators inserted 19-year-old center Jason Spezza into the lineup for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against New Jersey. Spezza, chosen second overall by Ottawa in the 2001 draft, made his playoff debut Monday night with the Senators facing a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series. With his team yet to score in 15 power-play opportunities in the series, Ottawa coach Jacques Martin elected to play Spezza and sit right wing Chris Neil. It is the Senators' first lineup change of the series. "He'll bring some energy to the locker room," Senators forward Bryan Smolinski said. "Hopefully it's not too late." Spezza spent most of the season with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y., though he produced when he was called up to the NHL on several occasions this season. Spezza scored seven goals and had 21 points in 33 games with Ottawa during the regular season. He practiced with the Senators and was a healthy scratch throughout most of the playoffs. He played two postseason games with Binghamton from April 26-27 and had a goal and two assists. "It's probably more nervous watching the games on TV than it is probably being out there," Spezza said. "When you're out there, you're in the emotions of the game, you're feeling it. But when you're sitting down and watching, you can't control anything." |
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