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(Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will aim for their first win of the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight, when they host the top-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 at Scotiabank Place. The Senators are down two games to none in this best-of-seven set after getting outscored by a combined 8-4 margin over the first two meetings in Pittsburgh. Ottawa hopes the return of centerman Jason Spezza can help it get on the board in Game 3. Spezza, who underwent back surgery on Feb. 1, hasnt played since the fifth game of the regular season, but he is expected to be back in the lineup tonight. Spezza has been skating with the team since shortly after the Sens eliminated Montreal in the conference quarterfinals, and took part in a full practice on Saturday. "Ive gone through a full recovery," Spezza told his clubs web site. "Obviously Ive been off a long time, youre never going to be quite the same right away. Ive put in the work so its not like Im expected to play out of the blue." Spezza is a proven playoff performer, recording 51 points (17G, 34A) over 53 career postseason games. After taking the opener by a 4-1 score on Tuesday, the Penguins needed to work a bit harder for their 4-3 victory in Fridays Game 2. It was Pittsburghs fourth straight win since losing Game 4 to the New York Islanders in the opening round. The Penguins won that series in six games to advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2010. Sidney Crosby scored Pittsburghs first three goals of the game and completed the hat trick just 1:15 into the second period, when his sixth goal of the playoffs gave the Pens a 3-1 advantage. Ottawa trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes, but Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored 2:01 into the third period to make it a one-goal game. The Penguins, however, were able to hold on for the win, as Tomas Vokoun turned aside 19 shots to record his fourth straight win since replacing Marc-Andre Fleury prior to Game 5 against the Isles. Crosby posted his second career playoff hat trick on Friday. The 25-year-old center has owned Ottawa in recent years, picking up at least one point (10G, 15A) in nine of his past 11 postseason games against the Sens. With his first goal on Friday, Crosby reached 100 points in the postseason in just his 75th game, becoming the fifth fastest player to accomplish the feat. His second tally also moved him past Ron Francis for sole possession of fourth place on the franchises all-time postseason point list. "Its not something you want to get too caught up in, but its always nice to score and obviously to get a hat trick, I know it feels good," Crosby said. "And to get the win, it makes it a lot better when you win." Brenden Morrow registered Pittsburghs other goal, which ended up being the deciding tally for the Pens, who have a 2-0 lead in a series for the first time since sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2009 Eastern Conference finals en route to their last Stanley Cup title. Kyle Turris and Colin Greening also scored once for the Senators, who fell to 2-3 on the road in the 2013 playoffs. Craig Anderson allowed three goals on 21 shots before being removed following Crosbys third goal early in the second. Robin Lehner, making his first career postseason appearance, stopped 20-of-21 shots in relief. "We were not ready to match [their start]," Ottawa coach Paul MacLean admitted. "Catch-up hockey is losing hockey. We have to make sure were ready for the next game at the start." The seventh-seeded Sens hope to get off to a better start Sunday in front of their home fans. Ottawa was 15-6-3 at Scotiabank Place during the regular season and was 2-0 as the host in its opening-round win over the second-seeded Canadiens. Pittsburgh was 2-1 on the road against the Isles in Round 1. During the regular season, the Pens had identical 18-6-0 records at home and on the road. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Canadas capital city.Custom Denver Nuggets Jerseys . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. Will Barton Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Tyler-Lydon-Nuggets-Jersey/ . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Alex English Nuggets Jersey . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Will Barton Nuggets Jersey . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season.MIAMI -- Its not as if they still have Bird, McHale and Parish.Its not as if -- going back even further -- they still have Russell and Cousy.No, the Boston Celtics dont have any of those superstars. Their leading scorer is Isaiah Thomas -- and hes not that Isaiah Thomas, the Hall of Famer from Chicago.This is the 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas, the one from Tacoma, Wash. Yet this particular Thomas, who is averaging 26.1 points and 6.3 assists, has continued a recent but substantial trend of Celtics domination over the Miami Heat.Since Thomas joined the Celtics last season, Boston is 3-0 against the Heat, and its an Eastern Conference rivalry that will be renewed on Monday night inside Miamis AmericanAirlines Arena.But going back before Thomas arrived, Boston has won at least one game per season in nine of the past 10 years. That overlaps the time span when the Heat had far superior talent with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.Now Miamis Big Three is effectively gone, and the Heat (5-11) is paying the price, falling to its current standing of 13th place out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.The Celtics (9-7), meanwhile, appear to be a team on the rise, sitting in fifth place in the East at the moment.Boston could be ready to get on a roll now that post player and four-time All-Star Al Horford has returned. He missed nine games due to a concussion, and he is just now rounding back into form after returning on Nov. 19.He makes a huge difference to our team, Thomas told the media. Even if he is not scoring, he is still defending and making plays for his teammates.Horford has two double-doubles in the four games since he came off the disabled list. He has averaged 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds since returning, and both of those numbers are higher than his season aaverages.dddddddddddd.Miami already struggles to score but may get strangled on Monday by Avery Bradleys tight defense. Bradley, a 6-2 shooting guard, is a dynamo who is just entering his prime after years of battling injuries.Bradley, who made first-team All-Defense last season, leads Boston in rebounding (8.0) and is second in scoring (17.9).Jae Crowder, a 6-6, 235-pound small forward, is Bostons other double-figure scorer, averaging 12.5 points.Amir Johnson, a 6-9, 240-pound power forward, is Bostons fifth starter. He, Bradley and Horford are the key figures on Bostons defense. And remember, Boston was fifth in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season without Horford.His defense has made the unit better.The Heat will try to crack that defense, but it will depend to a large extent on some health issues. Point guard Goran Dragic (elbow) and shooting guard Dion Waiters (groin) are listed as questionable.In addition, starting small forward Justise Winslow is out due to a wrist injury. It will be the eighth straight game he has missed.Has it been that long already? Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said painfully. Everything is day to day. He hasnt gone through a practice yet.Generally, Spoelstra prefers that a player get at least one full practice in before returning to the lineup. But with Miami potentially missing three of its top four starters -- Dragic, Waiters and Winslow -- Spoelstra may have to alter that plan.Miami will continue to rely on center Hassan Whiteside, who is averaging 16.8 points, 14.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.On the perimeter, Miami will look to scorers such as Josh Richardson (10.8) and sixth-man Tyler Johnson (12.4). ' ' '