Cardiac Kids proving a tonic for ailing Sens general manager
NEW YORK — Even Bryan Murray’s cancer doctor thinks the cardiac-arresting Ottawa Senators are good for his health.
After five straight extra-time games, four of which resulted in Senators victories — keeping them in this wild Eastern Conference chase for a wild-card spot — the Senators general manager is finding stress is as much a part of his daily regimen as chemotherapy treatments.
Murray, battling Stage 4 colon cancer, is drawing inspiration from his never-say-die hockey team, whose latest feat was a 4-3 overtime win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday night after Ottawa fell behind 3-0.
“Well, you don’t sleep the night after you have chemo, but I feel pretty good today because of the team,” said Murray.
“It goes hand-in-hand. I’ve talked to my oncologist about this, ‘How involved should I be and how is stress going to affect my life and all that?’ He’s all positive. ‘If you have to go through this (cancer treatment) s--- ... you might as well enjoy it with a group like this as well,’ ” said Murray.
Senators fans couldn’t agree more, especially when Murray says, “it’s a little stressful.
“If you care, you have stress,” Murray said.
“That’s the one thing I don’t think you ever overcome. I get as emotional game about games as I did when I was 25 years old.”
Murray, who had his chemo drip installed Wednesday, didn’t travel with the team but will join them in New York for the last two games of the regular season — Thursday against the Rangers and Saturday in Philadelphia versus the Flyers.
Ottawa likely has to win both games and then get outside help to qualify for the playoffs.
At 72, with 40-plus years in the NHL, Murray has to think long and hard about a player group this special. This seven-week stretch of hockey — a 21-4-4 run beginning Feb. 10 — is unprecedented.
“I’ve been in the game a long time and I don’t know that I’ve experienced this type of run with any team,” Murray said.
“The character they’ve shown, the no-quit ability, all those words.”