Senators veteran sizzling after being placed on waivers
Smith makes sense of hot start
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 club’s 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 Wednesday, the big matchup will pit Claude Giroux against Ottawa’s Cody Ceci.
The Orleans boys should see plenty of each other. Giroux, who received MVP consideration after 34 goals and 102 points last season, is the latest star to be in position to test the new-look Senators’ defence, where Ceci logs the most minutes, averaging 22:37 through the first three contests. Here are five things to watch for in the contest:
1. 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?
2. Looking for matchups
As expected, the opposition has exploited the Senators’ inexperienced blue-line through the first three games. Can some combination of Lajoie-Ceci, Chabot-Dylan DeMelo and Mark BorowieckiChris Wideman find a way to control play inside the Senators’ zone?
3. Yielding too many goals
Craig Anderson and Mike Condon have both been victim to bad goals in the early going, but they need to protect their inexperienced team by making big saves at big times. Anderson, who defeated Toronto 5-3 on Saturday, gets the start against Philadelphia.
4. Executing on the power play
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.
5. Relishing home ice
The visit by the Flyers kicks off a five-game homestand for the Senators. A solid performance at Canadian Tire Centre could provide a necessary confidence boost for a Senators team that isn’t quite sure what it is just yet.