Methot is ready for the Rangers’ best in New York
Time to turn the Pageau.
Following the history-setting exploits of Jean-Gabriel Pageau Saturday night, Ottawa Senators defenceman Marc Methot says the team must come down from the emotional high.
He accepts nothing right now, other than that the New York Rangers’ best is yet to come.
“We’re playing a serious hockey team here and we know how hard it is to play at MSG,” Methot said of Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday.
“They have unbelievable fans and you’ve got a veteran group over there that I’m pretty sure won’t back down and won’t give up. We’ve got to treat this series like it’s still 0-0 and keep a very level head about it.”
The Senators have led a playoff series 2-0 only once previously in their 25-year history. On that occasion, they rolled past the Buffalo Sabres in five games in the Eastern Conference final in 2007, en route to their only appearance in the Stanley Cup final.
The Senators are also only two wins away from reaching the NHL’s final four for the third time in history. The 2003 squad lost the Eastern Conference final in seven games to the New Jersey Devils
Methot, who played only four playoff games in his first six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, did reach the second round with the Senators in 2013. However, the Senators were dispatched in five games by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He’s under no assumptions he’ll ever be in the current position again, which perhaps explains why coach Guy Boucher says “he’s on a mission” in pursuit of an extended playoff run.
“That’s one thing we always try to preach around the room,” Methot said.
“You don’t get this opportunity very often. Sometimes, when you are a little younger, you can take it for granted a little bit because you just assume you’re going to get there again.
“But I’m turning 32 this summer and I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to play in double overtime games in the second round of the playoffs, so I love it.”
Methot earned himself some notoriety for scoring one-quarter of the number of goals that JeanGabriel Pageau did Saturday — his first goal since March 19, 2016 — but he’s not about offence.
He has become the ultimate defensive defenceman, the ideal partner for captain Erik Karlsson.
“I will be honest, I never thought we would get that kind of game when he came back from his injury,” Boucher said of Methot’s physical edge since returning from having his left pinky finger destroyed by a slash from Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby.
“I thought he would be tentative. I thought it would take many games before we saw the real Methot, but he has been outstanding the minute he stepped on the ice.”
Methot, who also has an assist in eight playoff games, leads the Senators with 33 hits during the playoffs, seventh in the league. He also showed a surprisingly nasty edge in the opening round against the Boston Bruins, a side of his game that didn’t show up quite as much in the regular season.
Perhaps most importantly, Karlsson trusts that Methot will be there for support whenever he decides to make an offensive foray.
“He not only logs the minutes right now, but he’s a major contributor in physicality, being first on puck, being able to take the speed of their top players and be able to back up Erik when Erik is taking off,” said Boucher.
Boucher says the Senators aren’t nearly as imposing a team without him.
“I thought he had a terrific year. He’s not a guy we talk about a lot, but the moment we lost him (to Crosby’s slash), we didn’t win many games.”