Short-handed goal ends Senators’ drought

Phaneuf’s goal on anniversary of trade was long time coming, writes Don Brennan.

Who’d have guessed it would take a Cody Ceci hooking penalty to get the Ottawa offence untracked?

Past the midway mark of their seventh bad period in a row, the Senators were short-handed when they started to test the usually shaky Dallas Stars goaltending, on this night provided by Kari Lehtonen.

First came a Tom Pyatt breakaway. Then a chance by JeanGabriel Pageau. Then another one by Zack Smith. And finally, the Dion Phaneuf anniversary goal.

Before that, the most recent Senators tally was the empty netter by Chris Kelly in Tampa three games ago.

Phaneuf’s seventh goal of the season, one year to the day after he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, was the first time a Senator scored on a goalie in a span of 145:04. STARTS AND STOPS: Jiri Hudler’s own goal, a back pass from centre ice that went terribly wrong because Lehtonen had darted to the bench on a delayed penalty call, will be shown on every hockey blooper package from now ’til eternity.

He becomes the modern day Lyle Odelein, the New Jersey Devils defenceman who inadvertently sent the puck the length of the Canadian Tire Centre ice and into his own net with Martin Brodeur on the bench for an extra attacker on Jan. 2, 1999 for a goal was credited to Senators netminder Damian Rhodes. Kelly, who must have been the last Senator to touch the puck, was credited with the goal, but not a shot on net. The best part — Kelly was on the bench when the puck crossed the line . ... Karlsson was also asked about the TSN list of top 25 Senators that would later be released. “Hope I’m the best Swede in there,” he said, in a good natured dig at his buddy Daniel Alfredsson. He finished second overall. Behind Alfredsson. BUTT ENDS: Stars rookie Devin Shore had a number of fans in the crowd as a group of students from his high school in Ajax, Ont., along with their parents, made the trip on bus excursion.