Sens need Anderson at his best to save season
Craig Anderson’s approach has always been to stay on an even keel.
That isn’t about to change with the season on the line.
Pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in a 7-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday, Anderson was back on the ice with his Ottawa Senators teammates Monday at Canadian Tire Centre and, other than a lengthy chat with goaltending coach Pierre Groulx at the end of the skate, nothing appeared to be different.
If the Senators are to force a dramatic Game 7 Thursday in Pittsburgh, they’ll need their goaltender to come up big in Game 6 Tuesday night at home.
“It’s a lot easier to put those (losses) away than it is to lose 1-0,” Anderson said. “It’s one of those days (when) you look forward, you move on and you get ready for the next one.
“We’re all human. We all have bad days and it was a bad day for all of us.”
Taken out late in the first after allowing three goals on 12 shots, Anderson went back in the net little more than a minute later in place of Mike Condon in what looked to be an odd move by Senators head coach Guy Boucher.
Boucher explained to Anderson he would be going back in, and he did, but he also gave up a fourth goal quickly that salted it away for the Penguins.
Anderson had no hard feelings and said he understood the move.
“At first (Anderson thought he was done for the day), but then he (Boucher) mentioned, ‘Stay ready. You’re going back in.’ I don’t know what that means,” Anderson said. “I don’t know whether that’s when or if. It’s one of those things where that’s the way it played out. You can’t change it, you can’t really do anything about it.
“As a player, you do what you’re told and try to give your best effort to give the team an opportunity to win.”
Boucher said the Senators needed to give Anderson more support.
“The first three games, he was outstanding,” Boucher said. “The last two games, I don’t think we’ve played well enough in front of him to be able to win the game. (Sunday), I took him out just to stall the game and then put him back in, but it was one of those games. It wasn’t going to happen, so I took him out of there.
“Everybody has to be at their best (Tuesday): goalie, defence, forwards. He’s one of the big reasons why we’ve had a really good season. He’s one of the reasons why we’ve had really good playoffs. And he’s been able to close two series solid, and that’s why he’s our No. 1.”