OTTAWA - The Ottawa Senators have recalled Billy Thompson from the Binghamton Senators, the club's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, on an emergency basis to replace injured goaltender Dominik Hasek. This is Thompson's first call-up to the NHL and the Senators.

Hasek suffered a strained adductor muscle while playing at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, for the Czech Republic against Germany on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

The 23-year old Thompson is in his third season in the Senators' organization. Acquired in a traded from the Florida Panthers for goaltender Jani Hurme in September 2002, Thompson has eight wins, 16 losses and two shootout losses in 29 games this season with a 3.91 goals-against-average. He missed 10 games from Nov. 18 to Dec. 3 with a groin injury. In his last game, he made 34 saves on 39 shots in a 6-5 over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Sunday, Feb. 26.

In his two seasons as a Senators' prospect in 2003-04 and 2004-05, the Saskatoon, Sask. native played 68 games with Binghamton earning 32 wins, 22 losses and four overtime losses with a 2.89 goals-against-average in his first season and 2.44 in his second.

Thompson was originally the Florida Panthers' fifth-round pick (136th overall) in 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

The Prince George Cougars graduate wrapped-up his three-year career, 2000-01 to 2002-03, in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with 149 wins, 64 losses and 72 ties.

The B-Sens are sixth in the East Division with 23 wins, 29 losses, three overtime losses and three shootout losses for 52 points. Binghamton returns to action on Saturday, March 4 in Syracuse to face the Crunch at 7:30 p.m.

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