Sports consumption is an endless exercise of looking ahead.
Is the team good enough? Fast enough? How does it match up for the big games ahead?
In Ottawa, people are already in the business of thinking about first-round playoff matchups. Conventional wisdom seems to be that the Senators would do well to stay exactly where they are in the standings — second in the Atlantic Division, to secure a first-round series against the third-place team in the ATL. The thinking is that with the Metro Division deeper this season, the wild cards are not to be messed with (first place in each division faces a wild-card opponent).
Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.
Based on the evidence of Ottawa’s first 53 games, the Senators are actually more competitive against Metro opponents than versus Atlantic teams. After handling the Metro’s New York Islanders 3-0 Saturday afternoon in front of 18,211 witnesses, the Senators improved their record against Metropolitans to a sparkling 10-4-2.
Against Atlantic teams, Ottawa is a far more middling 8-8-1. The Atlantic team that is toughest on clubs in the division? Montreal, with just two regulation losses versus Atlantic opponents (11-2-5). Surprisingly, the Boston Bruins, who have had a lot of issues and fired their coach last week, are the next best at handling Atlantic competition. The Bruins are 14-6-1 inside their division.
For whatever reason, the Senators play a methodical, conservative game against Metro opponents, as we saw again Saturday afternoon. Aware of the Islanders’ recent run (7-1-2) and wary of John Tavares, the Senators took few risks and grabbed their opportunities when they presented themselves.
That includes the first goal of the game when Mark Stone, Ottawa’s first 20-goal man this season, banked a shot off Isles goaltender Thomas Greiss from behind the net. Very Jason Spezza-like, that tactic.
“I never actually played with Spezza,” Stone said. “But it’s kind of a smart play sometimes, the goalie is out of position, you throw it in there, it could hit anything.”
Stone says the challenge for the Senators is to have a similar approach against the lesser lights of the league, regardless of their division.
“You’re not going to play the best teams every night, so you’ve got to have that same mentality of not taking anybody lightly.”
The Senators have not taken NYI lightly — to the tune of 9-2 in composite score this season.
While they were outshot (33-24), the Senators were not outworked in this systematic victory. In the second period, NYI held a 14-5 advantage in shots yet were outscored 2-0. Led by Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Tom Pyatt, the Senators were tenacious and efficient on the penalty kill, easily handling two Islanders power plays in the second period.
Craig Anderson was perfect in his return to action after being on personal leave to be his wife, Nicholle, in her cancer battle. His teammates offered support, then and on the ice Saturday, keeping the Isles to the outside.
The Senators had already taken down the Islanders in Brooklyn on Dec. 18, 6-2. The Isles are back here on April 9 to complete the season series.
As compared to recent struggles against Buffalo and St. Louis (and needing an own goal to survive against Dallas), the Senators had their legs early in this early afternoon game. Overall, this was their best outing since a 5-2 win in Tampa on Feb. 2.
After the Stone goal, Zack Smith finished a highlight-reel two-on-one off a perfect pass from Kyle Turris. Smith tucked in the backhand at full speed.
“We both were flying,” Smith said. “We had some fresh legs. Both of us had just jumped on the ice, did a big loop and were able to get some speed.”
The best part about finishing off a bang-bang play like that?
“It doesn’t feel so bad when you stop after, because you’re celebrating a goal, instead of back-checking the other way,” Smith said. “You have a little jump in your step when you do that fly-by at the bench.”
Not to be outdone, penalty killers Pyatt and Pageau teamed up for their own two-on-one just after a kill was over in the second period. Pageau nailed the re-direct.
The final period was nothing more than the inevitable playing out, with Anderson taking a deep bow in his dramatic return.
LETTER FROM ILITCH
Some of the most special sporting keepsakes aren’t sticks or baseballs or signed jerseys — they are signed letters. Anthony Fenech, a baseball writer who covers the Detroit Tigers for the Detroit Free Press, has a letter from Mike Ilitch that he treasures.
In the spring of 1992, Fenech was four, wanting to be a hockey player when he grew up. He asked the Detroit Red Wings owner for advice. Among Ilitch’s suggestions:
Eat well and get plenty of rest. Listen to mom and dad “because hockey players need discipline. Study hard at school, “because hockey players have to be smart.” Learn to skate and practice a lot “because hockey players need to be excellent skaters.”
As if that generous response wasn’t enough, Ilitch told Fenech to write him another letter to update him on his progress.
The keepsake matters more to reporter Fenech today, with Ilitch’s passing on Friday. Prior to Saturday’s game, the Senators held a moment of silence to honour Ilitch.
wscanlan@postmedia.com
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