Sens’ Smith solid since clearing waivers

Zack Smith wasn’t attempting to poke fun at himself and his recent history.

It just came out that way when he was asked about his quick start to the season, which has included a goal and three assists, a spot on one of the top two lines and a renewed sense of belonging.

“The biggest thing is the coaches’ confidence in me didn’t waver after last year,” Smith said following Tuesday’s workout, in preparation for Wednesday’s game against Philadelphia.

Waver? Like waivers, without the I?

“Oh yeah, is that a pun? Right on,” said Smith, chuckling.

Smith, 30, has played on a line with Mark Stone since clearing waivers in the final week of training camp.

“If you get him the puck, you know you’re going to get on the board,” he said. “The biggest thing is just the opportunity. With what happened with waivers, it didn’t change the way coaches thought I had played since the start of camp. That is a huge confidence boost.”

When the Flyers hit the ice at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, the big matchup will pit Claude Giroux against Ottawa’s Cody Ceci. The Orléans boys should see plenty of each other. Giroux is the latest star to be in position to test the new-look Sens defence, where Ceci logs the most minutes.

Here are 5 Things to Watch for in the contest:

Fresh faces

It’s typical for young players to have good games and bad games, striving for consistency. Can Thomas Chabot, Max Lajoie, Brady Tkachuk, Alex Formenton and Colin White find a steady rhythm?

Looking for matchups

As expected, the opposition has exploited the Sens’ inexperienced blue-line through the first three games. Can some combination of Max Lajoie-ceci/chabotDylan Demelo/mark Borowiecki/chris Wideman find a way to control play inside the Senators’ zone?

Yielding too many goals

Craig Anderson and Mike Condon have been victim to bad goals in the early going, but they need to protect their team by making big saves at big times. Anderson, who defeated Toronto 5-3 on Saturday, gets the start.

Executing on the PP

The Senators could have made a game of it in Boston on Monday if they had converted on an extended 5-on-3 advantage in the third period. They haven’t scored on the power play since the season opener against Chicago.

Relishing home ice

The visit by the Flyers kicks off a five-game homestand. A solid performance at Canadian Tire Centre could provide a necessary confidence boost.