Ottawa Citizen

Outdoor game brings back fond memories

NHL100 Classic reminds Senators players of childhood days spent on backyard rinks

- BRUCE GARRIOCH

Mother Nature can’t dampen the Ottawa Senators’ enthusiasm as the prepare to head to the great outdoors.

Wear your woollies and pull out your parkas.

The Senators got their first taste of what they’re going to face during the NHL100 Classic with a morning skate at Lansdowne Park on Friday. The real thing comes Saturday night, when they face the Montreal Canadiens in the first outdoor game in Ottawa since the club returned to the league for the 1992-93 campaign.

While this game has been much-anticipate­d on the local sports calendar, the players have been too busy trying to get their season back on track to get ready for it. But coming off a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, the Senators are feeling good about themselves coming into this one.

As they hit the ice for a skate, the memories started to flow for the players who grew up playing outdoor hockey as kids. The forecast high temperatur­e for Saturday is -8 C, and with the wind chill, it will feel like -17 C. However, that won’t put a damper on the excitement of participat­ing in one of these games.

“This is unbelievab­le,” said Senators centre Matt Duchene, who grew up in Haliburton, Ont. and still makes his off-season home there.

“My dad (Vince) built a rink for me in my driveway from the time I was about 10 years old until I moved away to play junior. He actually kept it going for my sister (Jess) because she played hockey.

“I’d come home for Christmas and I’d skate on it. This is cool. I’ve played an outdoor game before (with the Colorado Avalanche), but it was 70 degrees Fahrenheit and it wasn’t as authentic as this is. I’m really excited.”

The fact this is a special occasion isn’t lost on Duchene.

“You’re playing for a Canadian team against a Canadian team in the capital of Canada,” he added. “This is been a whirlwind for me. This is something I knew was coming. I’ve really been looking for it.”

This isn’t the first outdoor experience for many of these players. Alternate captain Dion Phaneuf played with the Toronto Maple Leafs in Ann Arbor, Mich. against the Detroit Red Wings in front of more than 100,000 people on New Year’s Day in the 2014 Winter Classic. It’s something he’ll never forget.

“They’re fun to be a part of,” Phaneuf said. “It’s a special weekend to celebrate the game that we play and I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s going to be a great experience as a player to be part of an outdoor game. I really enjoyed the first one.

“I remember going out for warm-up in Michigan and the snow is hitting your face. I grew up in Edmonton, I had a backyard rink my whole life and I was very lucky my dad built my rink for me. It brings back the feelings of being a kid again because I remember playing on the backyard rink a lot with all my friends.

“They’d be pulling us off. It didn’t matter what the temperatur­e was when you’re a kid. You’d like it to warm up a little, but we’re going to play in whatever we have to.”

After their Friday skate, the Senators boarded a bus and went for a twirl on the Canada 150 rink on Parliament Hill with their families. The last time they participat­ed in an outdoor game was the 2014 Heritage Classic against the Canucks at B.C. Place stadium in Vancouver, and the roof was closed because of rain.

“Some guys were saying that didn’t really feel like an outdoor game because there was a dome on it,” said Senators winger Zack Smith. “After we (stepped) outside today, I don’t think that was looking that bad. We’ll be out there skating around and staying warm. It’s definitely a different atmosphere than the one in Vancouver.”

With only two wins in their last 14 games, the Senators haven’t had a lot of fun lately, so they can go into this game feeling good about themselves. Yes, they would have enjoyed skating at Lansdowne on Friday anyway, but it’s a lot better when you show up at the rink with a smile on your face.

“The players are excited this morning,” said coach Guy Boucher. “... I don’t think the big thing for us is that we’re having this type of game. We needed to come back home and we needed it big time. We’ve been on the road for a month. That was huge.

“Just to come back, I saw the energy change at home. We had terrific energy, great enthusiasm. It’s the same feeling here.” bgarrioch@postmedia.com Twitter.com/sungarrioc­h

It brings back the feelings of being a kid again because I remember playing on the backyard rink a lot with all my friends.

 ?? JEAN LEVAC ?? Sens players, including Mike Hoffman, left, and Fredrik Claesson, were looking forward to Saturday’s outdoor game as they hit the ice at TD Place for Friday morning’s practice.
JEAN LEVAC Sens players, including Mike Hoffman, left, and Fredrik Claesson, were looking forward to Saturday’s outdoor game as they hit the ice at TD Place for Friday morning’s practice.
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