Senators goalie Craig Anderson rises from sidenote to team's star
The story for the Senators entering the playoffs was rookie goaltender Andrew Hammond, the man who engineered Ottawa's historic rise from 14 points out of postseason contention to the Senators becoming a playoff team.
But Hammond was not lights out in the first two games of Ottawa's series against the Montreal Canadiens, so Ottawa coach Dave Cameron made the switch to former No. 1 goaltender Craig Anderson.
That switch paid off in spades for Ottawa. Anderson stopped 75 of the 77 shots he faced and recorded a 28-save shutout in Game 4.
"When Andy’s dialed in, he’s a pretty hard goaltender to beat,” said Senators defenseman Marc Methot to the Ottawa Citizen. “Everyone knows that. It’s not a secret around the league."
But while Anderson has been phenomenal in the past for Ottawa, he was no certainty entering this playoff series. The goalie was suffering from a hand injury in the second half that limited him to just four starts from Jan. 21 through April 11. It was Anderson's and former back-up goalie Robin Lehner's injuries that allowed Hammond to see time in the crease in the first place.
But Anderson stayed fresh in practice and grew hungry for starting time as Hammond commandeered the No. 1 role. Anderson told the Ottawa Citizen that his experience as a veteran helped him prepare to jump in whenever the team needed him.
The Senators need Anderson now more than ever. Although the Senators escaped elimination with a win in Game 4, Ottawa's season is still on the line as it attempts to fight back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Canadiens.
(h/t Ottawa Citizen)
Photo by Jean-Yves Ahern - USA Today
