NEW JERSEY DEVILS Sitting in playoffs proves difficult for Daneyko

The rugged defenseman sits in the locker room and watches the action on television.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Ken Daneyko's downcast feelings come through clearly in his voice.
While thrilled the New Jersey Devils are one win away from their fourth Stanley Cup finals, Daneyko is going through one of the most difficult periods in his 18 NHL seasons.
For the first time in his career, Daneyko is sitting during the playoffs.
The rugged defenseman has been a healthy scratch the past four games of the Eastern Conference finals and has no idea whether he will play tonight when New Jersey can eliminate the Ottawa Senators at home.
"Sure, it's disappointing," Daneyko said Tuesday. "No matter who you are, if it's not disappointing you shouldn't be in this league. Having said that, I understood coming in that this might be a possibility. It doesn't make it any easier. We have a great opportunity and I am just staying positive."
Waiting game
After taking off his equipment after practice, Daneyko sat in front of his locker and waited.
One by one, reporters stopped by and asked Daneyko if he knew when he'd be back in the lineup in the wake of New Jersey's 3-1 loss in Game 5, a setback that cut the Devils' lead to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.
"I have no idea," Daneyko said.
"Sorry, I can't help you," he said the next time.
Until this year, Daneyko had played in every postseason game for New Jersey, helping the club win two Stanley Cups and reach Game 7 in the 2001 finals.
The streak ended at 165 games when coach Pat Burns sat Daneyko for Game 4 against Boston in the first round. New Jersey was crushed that night.
Daneyko played the final game against the Bruins, each of the five games against Tampa Bay in the second round, and the opener against Ottawa -- an overtime loss.
He and Oleg Tverdovsky were on the ice for a couple of goals in that game, and Burns replaced them in Game 2 with Richard Smehlik and Tommy Albelin.
New Jersey won the next three games before losing Monday.
On game night, Daneyko has tried to stay out of the picture. He sits in the locker room and watches the action on television. If he sees something, the 39-year-old player doesn't hesitate to offer advice.
"He's been very positive," captain Scott Stevens said. "He's handled it very well. It makes it easy for everyone in this room to talk about it. Everyone is behind Kenny. He is a competitor and a leader on this team. I'm sure he'll get a chance to get back on."
Burns would not discuss his lineup on Tuesday. "I am not going to speculate," Daneyko said. "It's too hard to guess. You guess and that can really mess with your mind. I'm just waiting and staying positive. I'll be ready if called upon."
While the Devils will have two chances to eliminate the Senators, they don't want to go back to Ottawa for a deciding game.
"It's something we have to put in our minds, that we need to do this now," goaltender Martin Brodeur said. "From now on, the longer you wait to take a team out the harder it is. These guys will get momentum if we don't cut it now."