By BARRE CAMPBELL -- Ottawa Sun 
For the first time this year, one of the clients of agent Mark Gandler was in the Ottawa Senators lineup. 

No, not that client. 

Russian import Petr Schastlivy made his NHL debut during yesterday's game against New Jersey, playing the left wing on a line with centre Joe Juneau and right winger Andreas Dackell. 

There was no storybook script to the 20-year-old rookie's big-league debut. He logged a little more than a dozen minutes on the ice but didn't record a shot on goal. 

He was on the ice when fellow Russian Sergei Brylin scored the first Devils goal, four minutes into the opening frame. But Schastlivy wasn't at fault on the play. Even goalie Ron Tugnutt admitted later that Brylin's shot, which squeezed through the goalie's pads, was one he should have stopped. 

Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said Schastlivy performed quite well. 

"He's got ability to score goals," said Martin. "I think it's a good opportunity for him to see where he's at in his development." 

Schastlivy scored 13 goals and 20 points with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the International Hockey League before his promotion to Ottawa. He was selected, along with defenceman John Gruden, as a reserve for the IHL all-star game later this month in Houston. 

Schastlivy, who won a gold medal with the Russian team at the 1999 world junior hockey championship, received the promotion because centres Mike Fisher and Shaun Van Allen were sidelined yesterday with knee injuries. 

That gives Schastlivy a chance to prove to the Ottawa brass that he can show at the NHL level the same offensive skills he's displayed in the IHL, and at the Senators' rookie camp in Hull before the start of training camp. 

"I think Petr played all right," said Martin. "It's his first game, so it takes a little bit of adjustment, but I was happy with his play."