Article content continued

Borowiecki hopes he’ll receive the green light so he can try to make a difference on the ice Tuesday by suiting up for the first time since April 15, when he was knocked out of the first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins.

His participation will depend on a game-time decision by Senators coaches.

“It really is touch and go,” Borowiecki said. “I’ve got to be able to string together a few good days here without any setbacks, and kind of go from there. Today was a good skate. I was really excited to get out with the guys. It was fun for me. I felt good.

“Certain things are just never going to be great right now, but I’m feeling stronger and stronger every day.”

The Senators could use his muscle. The NHL’s regular-season leader in hits is a key component of the Senators’ 1-3-1 defensive structure, which broke down Sunday. Penguins players had an easy time cutting through the neutral zone and cycling the puck inside Ottawa’s blue-line.

“Body contact against skilled guys who like to wind it up, if you time it well you’re taking away their time and space. That’s the key to it,” Borowiecki said. “Guys like (Phil) Kessel and (Evgeni) Malkin, they like to come back, swing, wind up, get the puck to the outside and move. If you’re in that lane, if you’re stepping up, if you’re a big body, anything you can do to cut those guys off, stop that speed, it’s going to make a difference.

“They’ve got all the offensive talent in the world. You’ve really got to make it tough for them, getting through that neutral zone, getting out of their end. At the same time, manage the puck well in our end.

“I wish I could tell you we had some silver bullet or something,” Borowiecki added, “but it just comes down to us bearing down and collectively sticking to our guns, playing our game.”

That game is better with Borowiecki in the lineup.