  Brian Elliott will start against the Flames, but hasn't won a game since beating the Penguins on Boxing Day. (QMI Agency/Errol McGihon) |
OTTAWA - Robin Lehner won’t get a shot at two in a row.
While he made 20 stops to help backstop a 6-4 win over the New York Islanders Thursday, Lehner isn’t going to get a second chance to strut his stuff -- at least not yet. Brian Elliott will start Friday night against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Place.
In what has to be considered a somewhat surprising move, coach Cory Clouston has decided not to go back to the 19-year-old Lehner, who picked up his first victory in his first NHL start.
Clouston said the timing isn’t right for Lehner, but had to defend his decision because Elliott hasn’t won a game since beating the Pittsburgh Penguins on Boxing Day. Elliott was pulled last Tuesday in Boston.
“It would have been his (Lehner's) fourth game in six nights back-to-back,” said Clouston. “He played well, but there’s still definitely some areas he needs to tighten up on. It was a real good first start. He’ll get an opportunity here in the next little while.”
There won’t be any other lineup changes. Defenceman Chris Campoli will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. He was minus-4 in the humiliating 6-0 loss to the Bruins and that’s the reason he was out in Long Island.
Centre Jason Spezza was on the ice in full equipment, but Clouston said his status hasn’t changed -- he's still out. There was no update on Pascal Leclaire’s lower body injury and winger Alexei Kovalev is “feeling much better” but there’s no timetable for his return from a knee injury.
Puck drop tonight is 7 p.m., and the game is on TSN.
