A FINALE TO APPRECIATE
Sens win last home game of season
SENATORS 3,
PANTHERS 1
Home sweet home — at least it ended that way.
And for those who stuck around, it may have been a chance to say a fond farewell to veteran defenceman Chris Phillips
It has been a season the Senators would just as soon forget, but at least they delivered the two points in a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night in front of 19,165 at Canadian Tire Centre.
With one final game still to play Saturday afternoon in Boston against the Bruins, the Senators went out on the right note at home as rookie Buddy Robinson scored his first NHL goal, while Cody Ceci and Mika Zibanejad also chipped in singles. Jaromir Jagr was the only Panther to beat Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson.
After the game, the Senators gave away their sticks to fans on the ice who were selected through a draw process. There was an emotional moment when Phillips, who hasn’t played all season because of back surgery and may be forced to retire, took a twirl around the ice and waved to the fans.
He did it because he knew it may be the last time.
“That’s why I wanted to do it, not because it is, but because it potentially could be,” said Phillips, 38 who still had his gear on long after the game and has played his whole career in Ottawa. “Lots of thinking and decisions to make this summer, but there’s a chance so I wanted to try to make the most of it.
“(It’s been) very, very frustrating to try to put it in a couple of words. Thinking the surgery went well and I was going to be able to play. That just wasn’t the reality. It’s just not easy.”
Phillips said he doesn’t have a timetable to decide his future.
“I haven’t set a deadline,” he said. “It’s based on my health and my back to start with. If that doesn’t turn around in a relatively quick amount of time, that will make the decision for me.”
At least the Senators were in a good mood, but you would think that sentiment is about to shift around here — owner Eugene Melnyk has promised “key changes” throughout the organization.
It won’t take long for those changes to begin. A decision by GM Bryan Murray on his future is expected to be made soon.
If he doesn’t continue in his current role, then it’s expected assistant Pierre Dorion will take over the GM’s job and from there, a determination on coach Dave Cameron’s future will be made.
This certainly may have been Cameron’s final home game behind the bench and he wanted his team to go out the right way for the fans.
“We want to do well for ourselves. Nice home game here and it’s always nice to get away with a win,” he said.
With the Senators clinging to a 2-1 lead in the final period, Jagr broke Anderson’s bid for a shutout at 4:49 with his 27th of the season. The Senators were able to put this away when Ceci scored his 10th at 14:14.
For much of the night, it looked like a game between two teams that had nothing at stake. The Senators have players trying to achieve personal milestones and really there’s not much else because when management looks back on these games in the off-season, they won’t mean much in the final evaluation.
Still, Robinson didn’t hurt his cause. Suiting up for his second NHL game after being called up Monday, Robinson tipped Ceci’s shot from the point by Al Montoya at 10:12 of the second to give the Senators a 2-0 lead. There wasn’t any doubt the puck hit his stick — his celebration told the story.
“It was unbelievable. It’s something you dream about as a kid growing up and you see it go in the back of the net and it’s just awesome,” said Robinson.
The Senators pulled out to a 1-0 lead on the power play in what was a listless first period for both teams. While Montoya made a great toe stop, the puck landed on Zibanejad’s stick for his 20th of the season at 18:20.
It’s the second straight year that Zibanejad has reached the 20-goal plateau, the fifth Ottawa player to do so this season. Captain Erik Karlsson picked up his 81st point with his 65th assist this season on Zibanejad’s effort.
The Senators had a goal called off by video review at 1:41 of the first not long after Zibanejad beat Montoya with a backhand. He took a perfect pass from Mike Hoffman, but after the play was challenged by the Florida bench, it was determined that Zibanejad was offside before he got in alone.