(UPDATE 12;45 PM)- Go ahead and file this one under “unexpected”. This afternoon, the Senators announced that they have signed veteran forward Scott Gomez to one year contract that will extend until the end of the season. Gomez appeared in a handful of games with the St. Louis Blues this season and has been ripping it up in the American Hockey League. With Turris likely done for the year, the team felt like they needed a little additional depth on the roster. If the Senators were to somehow go on an unlikely run to the playoffs, Gomez would not be eligible.
FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-They don’t make hockey games much more entertaining than that. Honestly, that was a game that had a little bit of everything. The Senators were clearly over-matched by a tough St. Louis Blues team and looked down and out after forty minutes. And then through the first 17 minutes of the third period they pushed back but couldn’t break through. Scoring twice in the final minute against a Ken Hitchcock coached team is nothing short of a miracle. A goal with 0.1 left in the game?! Strange to say considering the hole they are in but honestly, the Senators should be happy to come away with a point in that one.
-What last night emphasized for me, more than anything, is just how truly special last season’s miracle run to the playoffs was. Because last night sort of had the feel of that run. And it was for one friggin’ period. Last year the team was able to sustain that level of “Did they really just do that?!” for a stretch of like 25 games. Even though they didn’t win it in the shootout, that was as much fun as I’ve had at a game this season.
-Really gotta feel for Andrew Hammond, especially after his effort in the shootout. Usually when a goalie gives you 10 consecutive saves in the shootout it’s good enough to win the game but it just wasn’t in the cards for Hammond last night. When Craig Anderson went down with an injury in the third period last night there was this sort of undeniable buzz in the building. It was the collective sound of 8,000 people whispering, “Could it really happen again?”. And then with each miraculous save Hammond made the energy in the building increased. And then when Pageau scored that game-tying goal with 0.1 left in the game I thought the lid might just blow right off the Canadian Tire Centre. No immediate word on how long Anderson might be out for but based on last night, Hammond looks more than ready to fill in down the stretch.
-It’s happened so gradually that I’ve barely even noticed but this really has been a breakout season for Jean Gabriel Pageau. A season in which he has solidified himself as a solid NHL centre. I always knew Pageau was smart and always knew he’d be a great energy player but what wasn’t always clear was just how much offensive upside there really was to his game. But with Turris down and Zibanejad struggling at times, Pageau has shown that he’s more than capable of taking on additional offensive responsibility. Pageau now has 16 goals and 31 points through 64 games.
-With Team Canada set to announce its preliminary roster for the upcoming World Cup, I can’t help but wonder if Mark Stone is forcing his way into that conversation. Obviously Canada has a ton of options up front but they have to at least be tempted by the idea of having Stone’s unique skill-set in like a third or fourth line role. When Mark Stone is at the top of his game there really is no player quite like him in hockey. With the game on the line, he’s a guy you want to have on the ice.
