34 SPORTS
The Ottawa Sun n Saturday, February 1, 2014
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SENS
CHANGING YOUR PAYDAY EXPERIENCE
A look back at the month that was January
TURNING THE CORNER AEDAN
HELMER aedan.helmer@sunmedia.ca @ottsunhelmer
The Senators have to be feeling good about themselves after stringing together some of their best hockey of the season with a 6-2-2-2 record to show for January, ending the month by squeaking into the final wild card playoff spot. And who knows? Take away two requisite afternoon stinkers — a 4-1 home loss to the Rangers and a 6-3 spanking in Carolina — and the Sens could have conceivably gone the whole month without a regulation loss. No, it hasn’t always been pretty. But fans have to be buoyed by the turnaround of key contributors like Jason Spezza, Craig Anderson and Jared Cowen, who have all seemingly put their game together. The top line of Clarke MacArthur, Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan wraps up January with all three tied for second in team scoring with 42 points, while team leader Erik Karlsson keeps getting better with each passing game and finally appears to be back to his old Norris-winning form. Add to that some key performances from role players up front like Zack Smith, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Neil, and the unexpected emergence of Cody Ceci, giving the team a wealth on the back end that could go a long way, either at the trade deadline or on the stretch drive. The Sens have only five more games before the Olympic break, but four bring them to some hostile rinks in Toronto, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Boston. So here’s hoping the good vibes carry over.
89 Cory Conacher Forward
GP G A Pts 52 4 13 17
6.0 Average for the season
/10 5.8
Found himself playing anywhere from the second to fourth lines, bringing his speed along with him. Picked up five assists and finished with a plus-2 rating.
25 Chris Neil Forward
7.5
/10
48 6 1 7
6.7
The veteran bruiser was sorely missed during a six-game absence, but made his presence felt shortly after returning. He fought Lightning B.J. Crombeen, then tied the game late with career goal No. 100.
22 Erik Condra Forward GP G A Pts
48 5 6 11
6.0
Average for the season
/10 6.0
Tallied a goal and an assist in an OT win in Montreal on Jan. 4, but has only one point since, and is currently mired in a seven-game scoring drought. Still effective on a checking line, or occasionally on Spezza’s wing.
6 Bobby Ryan Forward
7.5
/10
GP G A Pts 54 20 22 42
Average for the season
7.0
Defence
Average for the season
GP G A Pts 1
4
5
8.7
The sniper is still taking his shots, but had just one goal to show for it in 12 games until a slump-busting game against the Lightning. The team can only hope their go-to goal scorer’s struggles are over.
/10
19 Jason Spezza Forward
7.0
14 Colin Greening Forward
7.0
Came back to Earth after a dream December, but probably still pinching himself after being told to find a place to live in his hometown. As steady a presence as you could ask of a rookie.
GP G A Pts 54 4 7 11
6.0
Average for the season
/10 5.8
Led all forwards with 24 hits while playing his typically effective utility role. If he had better hands in the dirty areas he’s often in, he’d have more than the one goal he’s tallied in 18 games.
/10
GP G A Pts Average for
the season
49 14 25 39
GP G A Pts Average for the season
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5 Cody Ceci 22
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6.0
The captain endured his usual scrutiny while sitting out four games — all Sens wins — but since then, five of his nine points have come on the power play, including a crucial game-winner in Columbus. Still, his minus-5 rating in January dropped his season total to an ugly minus-19.
955 h Total faceoffs (15t a th wi ) ue ag le e th in . te ra s es 54.7% succ
40 Robin Lehner Goalie
6.5
GP W-L-OT GAA SV% 21 6-10-3 2.71 .921
Average for the season
/10
7 Kyle Turris Forward
7.2
A sparkling 27save shutout in Minnesota wasn’t enough to reclaim the starter’s job, and a pedestrian performance in his next start in Carolina — with the team sleepwalking through another afternoon start in front of him — didn’t help his cause.
GP G A Pts 54
18
24
Keeps tightening his grasp on the first-line centre role, with a fourgame goal-scoring streak and eight total goals in the month. He excels in all situations, with one power play goal, one shorthanded and two gamewinners.
42
9.5 Average for the season
/10 9.2