The day Ottawa Senators fans circled on their calendar on July 5 has finally arrived. Daniel Alfredsson and the Detroit Red Wings (13-7-7) are in town tonight to take on the Senators (10-12-4.) This is Alfredssons first time playing in Ottawa since leaving the place he called home for 17 seasons as a free agent in the summer. You can catch all of the action live on TSN with coverage beginning at 5pm et/2pm pt. At age 40, Alfredsson returns in the midst of a fine first season in the Motor City. He has six goals and 13 assists in 22 games in on pace for a 66-point campaign. The team plans to play a video tribute to their former captain on the scoreboard prior the game. "Well recognize what Daniel has done in Ottawa and what he means to our fans," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk told Ottawa sports radio station TSN 1200 Wednesday. "Theres no question were going to honour him and make sure that everybody is behind him." Media attention has been strong this weekend and Alfredsson spoke on Saturday about his feelings surrounding the game. "Its a division rival and theyve handed it to us pretty good two times (this season)," said Alfredsson. "Obviously coming back to Ottawa, playing the first game, Im sure it will be emotional. Im not sure how I will react but I think it will be a special night." His return sparks memories of the turmoil surrounding his departure last summer. "We all were pretty adamant that he was going to return because he is grounded in this city and so well-loved that everyone figured something would work out," Senators defenceman Marc Methot told the Ottawa Sun upon the signing. Some of that love from Senators fans has since dissipated and Alfredsson can expect a mixed reception when he takes the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre. This wont be the first time that Alfredsson has done battle with his former mates, though. He was held without a point in Detroit when the teams met on Oct. 23, but was forced to sit out with a groin strain for their second meeting exactly one month later. Back in August, Alfredsson explained his motivation to depart Ottawa and play another season when he initially had planned to retire. "In late June this year, I decided I had it in me to play one more season," Alfredsson said on August 15. "I told management I was willing to return and I reminded them of our agreement from the year before." That agreement, according to Alfredsson, was that he would be compensated for taking less money in the final year of his previous deal in order to help Ottawas cap number come down. By agreeing to a salary of $1 million in the last year of that deal, his average salary dropped to $4.8 million from the $6.1 million where it would have been because of his decision to retire. When he decided to play another year, negotiations with the Senators, Alfredsson said, "went nowhere." The Red Wings came calling and Alfredsson was more than willing to listen. "I was delighted by their enthusiasm and by their belief in how they saw me fitting into their plans," he said of the Red Wings in August. "So that call opened my eyes to a possibility I had never thought of — to play another year, maybe even two, with another great team." The repercussions of that decision will be fully felt tonight. Jonas Gustavsson will likely get the start in net for the Red Wings. His counterpart in the Ottawa goal will be Robin Lehner. Dirk Nowitzki Jersey . Anderson shook off some unusually poor shooting and hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime that carried the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Wesley Matthews Jersey . HEROES Alex Ovechkin – Scored a pair of goals in Washington’s 4-0 win over Pittsburgh. With 13 goals in the past 13 games, Ovechkin now has 29 goals on the season to lead the league. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/. In a series of tweets, it is explained by the Department of Player Safety that Niederreiter makes full body contact with Burrows and although there is head contact, he does not "pick" the head in the course of making the hit. Jose Juan Barea Jersey . Joining him in this years class were Switzerlands Patrick Huerlimann and Norways Eigil Ramsfjell. The announcement was made at the world mens curling championship at Capital Indoor Stadium in China. Josh McRoberts Jersey . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Dear Kerry, Love the articles, big fan since the beginning. Miss you on the ice. I am emailing in regards to the video of referee Paul Devorskis last game with Vancouver. What is your take on the video of Paul clearly making derogatory comments about Tortorella during the Anaheim game last night (as Don Cherry would say "Dont read lips") and what would be the consequences of something like this happening during a game for a ref? ThanksJeff Yates --- Hi Kerry, Recently, Paul Devorski has drawn the ire of Canuck fans of calling games slanted in the oppositions favour (including the most recent example of giving the Ducks a seven-minute 5-on-3 advantage). I wouldnt say the game against L.A. was refereed poorly, but I would suggest that it wasnt Devorskis best game and Im guessing Tortorella had some comments about the refereeing after the game ended yet Devorski ended up refereeing the next game against the Ducks. I know there have been examples of referees coming in on short notice (most notably the referees drafted in during the Stanley Cup Playoffs after Jim Schoenfeld overturned his suspension and the referees held a wildcat strike). After Stephane Augers battle with Vancouvers Alex Burrows, I dont think Auger reffed games with Vancouver for a long time. How often are referee assignments changed if something controversial happens in the previous game? Thanks,GarethRichmond, BC Jeff and Gareth: I thought Wyatt Arndts blog article published in The Province was well written and provided a very fair and balanced account from all sides (If you havent done so please open it up in Jeffs question and read it now).Let me be perfectly clear, there is no justification for an Official (ref or linesman) to lose his composure and curse back at a player, coach or even a fan. Regardless of just how difficult it might be to "bite your tongue" in the heat of the moment, any profane outburst from a ref becomes indefensible. A refs credibility and respect can be damaged (at least temporarily) when negative emotions are inappropriately vented in public as we witnessed in this situation. Im positive that referee Paul Devorski regrets the poor conduct he demonstrated by sharing his feelings with colleague Dan ORourke in what he thought to be a private exchange. He should know that nothing is private anymore; if he didnt he does now. It matters little that referee Devorski was the recipient of Vancouver Coach John Tortorellas profanity-laced attack; lip reading aside! What matters most is that the referee is entrusted with the authority to act as an impartial arbitrator and conduct himself in a professional manner at all times. You can rest assured that Paul Devorski has already been spoken to about this incident by someone from within Hockey Operations and/or the Officiating Department. There are also times when an Officials assignments will be altered to keep from throwing gasoline on smoldering ashes that remain from a previous game or incident. Moving personnel is not always easy with back-to-back games and especially on the West Coast. While the referees conduct was inappropriate it demonstrates something none of us should lose sight of. These guys are only human! There isnt a referee that hasnt slipped up and cursed at one time or another. I know for sure I have. I learned early in my career however that if I was expected to control the game and the negative emotions that often surfaced in disputes, it was imperative that I maintain control my own emotions. Believe me when I tell you there were many times that this good intention was much easier said than done! I adopted the adage, "Treat disrespect, with respect" tto gain leverage and exert control in heated exchanges with players and coaches.dddddddddddd In an effort to quickly bring the temperature down, I incorporated non aggressive body language (open palms vs finger point) and a monotone voice inflection (vs elevated volume and shouting match). I attempted to quickly set the tone and establish an element of control during the dispute through my actions by demonstrating a calm but firm demeanor. I encouraged the other party to engage in a civil conversation as opposed to a giving or receiving a profanity laced lecture. Through the "conversation" that generally followed I listened as the player or coach expressed their opinion. I then explained the reasoning behind my decision. In the end we might just agree to disagree. Regardless of the eventual outcome an effort was always made to solicit some form of civil decorum. To maintain self-control as a referee it is important to feel your internal emotional pitch rise and fall like the mercury of a thermometer (Think of any bouts of road rage you have been a party to?). You better think before you speak and when you do listen to yourself; the tone, the volume and how it is being perceived. I was in a heated debate with a player one time when I stopped abruptly in midsentence. I apologized for what I had just heard myself say to the player that I deemed inappropriate; I knew he must have as well. I withdrew my inappropriate comment by stating, "Im sorry, that came out the wrong way; what I meant to say was this". It is especially important for the referee to be part of the solution as opposed to part of the problem. Sometimes it takes super-human strength to keep your emotions in check. In the 1974-75 season, I was assigned to an IHL game in Flint, MI. Late in the third period I assessed multiple penalties to Muskegon Mohawks defenceman Lynn Margarit following a fight. Margarit amassed 301 penalty minutes that season and 2,100 during his 10-year IHL career. The player and I engaged in a heated, nose to nose debate over the game misconduct he had received. In his rage, and as I opened my mouth to speak, Margarit spat directly into my mouth! It immediately sickened me. Every muscle in my body immediately shook with rage in readiness to drill this guy. Somehow I was able to dig deep and maintained the self-control required of a referee. In 1975, in an AHL game in Halifax, I was physically attacked by Richard Lemieux - who played 274 games in the NHL for Vancouver Canucks, Kansas City Scouts and Atlanta Flames. After receiving his third penalty of the game Lemieux threw down his gloves at centre ice and charged at me. I squared to meet him with open palms as a "sign of peace!" Lemieux refused my peace offering and threw a left punch that I slipped and grabbed the sleeve of his jersey as his fist went past my ear. His right hand punch, I caught in the air and was then able to pull the jersey over his head. Thank goodness there were no "tie-downs" in those days! Big Ken Houston jumped off his bench, placed me in a bear hug and lifted my skates off the ice thinking that I was going to punch his now vulnerable teammate just as the two linemen arrived on the scene. Following the game Lemieux, Houston and coach Al MacNeil came to the Officials dressing room and issued a sincere apology. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended Lemieux for 10 games in addition to imposing a hefty fine. The point in both of these hostile and very aggressive confrontations with players is that if I, as a referee, had not maintained control of my emotions and acted in a "professional" manner, my officiating career would have ended before I even made it to the NHL. On occasion, there are situations in a game that require superhuman strength for a referee to fight the natural tendency to be, "only human." Cheap Celtics JerseysWholesale Nets JerseysCheap Knicks JerseysCheap Stitched 76ers JerseysRaptors Jerseys ChinaCheap Bulls JerseysWholesale Cavaliers JerseysPistons Jerseys ChinaPacers Jerseys ChinaCheap Bucks Jerseys OnlineWholesale Hawks JerseysCheap Hornets JerseysWholesale Heat JerseysCheap Magic Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Wizards JerseysNuggets Jerseys ChinaTimberwolves Jerseys ChinaCheap Thunder Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Blazers JerseysWholesale Jazz JerseysCheap Warriors Jerseys For SaleCheap Clippers JerseysLakers Jerseys ChinaWholesale Suns JerseysCheap Kings Jerseys AuthenticCheap Mavericks JerseysRockets Jerseys ChinaCheap Grizzlies JerseysWholesale Pelicans JerseysSpurs Jerseys China ' ' '