The Ottawa Senators believe they can succeed with Sergei Gonchar on their roster. The pending free agent simply wasn't in Otawa's plans for the future so they salvaged what they could from the asset. The healthy return of Erik Karlsson, along with the presence of Marc Methot, Eric Gryba, Patrick Wiercioch, Chris Phillips, Jared Cowen and Mark Borowiecki leaves the Senators in a decent position even without the 39-year-old blueliner.

Erik Karlsson doesn't regret his quick return to the lineup from his lacerated Achilles tendon, but he admitted that he wasn't play at 100 percent. "It doesn't feel good. I'm just going to go home and rehab it now and it give it some more time," said Karlsson. "Hopefully by the start of the next (season) it will be back to where it was." He is expected to require two to three months of rehab.

Erik Karlsson collected two assists and five shots in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Pittsburgh. The supremely talented defenseman had been struggling in his previous three matches against the Penguins in the series. Going into Wednesday's contest, Karlsson had no points, eight shots, six penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating after he looked very good versus Montreal in the first round of the playoffs.

Erik Karlsson is struggling to regain his form after returning to action from a sliced Achilles tendon. He has not looked good against the Penguins and was particulalry vulnerable on Pittsburgh's first goal Friday night as Sidney Crosby blew by him and beat Craig Anderson. As a result, Sens' coach Paul MacLean cut Karlsson's ice time for the remainder of the contest. If you are relying on Karlsson in a playoff pool, we suggest you look for alternatives until the Sens' rearguard shows he is in better game shape.

Erik Karlsson agreed with coach Paul MacLean's assessment that he isn't playing up to his past standards since returning from his Achilles injury. "I'm not playing the way I did when I got hurt and that's just the way it is," Karlsson said. "I'm trying to figure it out. Every once in a while it works and you feel pretty good out there. I've got to find the consistent game as well." Even a partially healthy Karlsson is valuable to the Senators though, as they continue to play in the postseason against Pittsburgh in the second round.

Senators coach Paul MacLean doesn't think Erik Karlsson is playing at the same level he was prior to getting his Achilles sliced by Matt Cooke's skate. "I don't think he's close to what he was before he got injured," said MacLean. "He was a dominant, dominant player, possibly the best player in the league at the time of his injury. Our expectation wasn't that (his play) would be at that level. Our expectation is that Erik would make us a better team because of his abilities to move the puck and to help us on the power play, to quarterback that. Our expectation is not that he's the Norris Trophy-winning Erik Karlsson." He logged nearly 27 minutes of ice time in Game 1 against Pittsburgh and has picked up six points in six playoff matches so far.

Erik Karlsson isn't concerned with facing Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke in the second round of the playoffs. Cooke's skate cut Karlsson's Achilles tendon and the Ottawa defenseman missed 31 games after requiring surgery. "I don't have many thoughts," Karlsson said. "Whatever happened, happened. I'm back playing and it's not something I'm really thinking about." The offensively gifted blueliner generated one goal and five assists in the Senators' first-round series win over Montreal.

The Senators know that Game 4 on Tuesday night is a crucial one. It's a chance for them to really put the Canadiens in a hole and take a commanding 3-1 series lead. "Right now, (the momentum) is nowhere, it's a day off," Erik Karlsson said Monday. "The next one is a totally different game. We know the third one is harder to win than the second one. We have to come out like we did (Sunday), but even better. They want to prove they're the better team."

Erik Karlsson scored a goal and added an assist for Ottawa in a 4-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their first round playoff series. Karlsson opened the scoring in the game, but the Sens trailed 2-1 in the third period until they came roaring back with three straight tallies to steal the game. Jakob Silfverberg and Marc Methot each matched Karlsson by registering a goal and an assist in the win while Guillaume Latendresse was the other scorer for Ottawa.

Erik Karlsson says he has felt better each day since coming back from his Achilles injury. He surpassed 27 minutes of ice time in each of his three outings since returning to the lineup and he has collected four assists during that time. Karlsson should give Ottawa's troubled offense a much-needed jolt in the playoffs against Montreal.