G Anderson, cancer-stricken wife inspire Senators
OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators will try to build on one of the most emotional victories in franchise history when they play the first of 10 November home games on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes at Canadian Tire Centre.
They will attempt once again to rally around goalie Craig Anderson, whose wife Nicholle was recently diagnosed with cancer.
Anderson left the team to be with Nicholle after shutting out the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 25 in the first of a three-game road trip to western Canada. When the Senators lost backup goalie Andrew Hammond to a groin injury on Oct. 28 in Calgary, Nicholle urged her husband to rejoin the team.
Anderson arrived in time to pitch another shutout on Sunday, this time a 37-save performance against the Edmonton Oilers. At the end of the night, he broke into tears.
"He held a strong face, but you could still see the pain in his eyes," Senators captain Erik Karlsson said of Anderson, who was recognized on Monday as the NHL's first star of the week for stopping all 59 shots he faced. "He came in here and led by example. He didn't say much, had the same routine, and showed what a true leader he is. He did a hell of a game and got us the two points."
Senators coach Guy Boucher said he was left "speechless" by the character both his goalie and team showed against Edmonton.
"We love hockey, it's a great game," Boucher told reporters Sunday. "But there are things bigger, and there are a lot of people who showed that tonight."
The Senators (5-3-0) will play host to the Hurricanes (2-4-2) twice in November. Last season, they were 1-0-2 against Carolina.
The Hurricanes most recently lost 4-3 at home to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Their 3.75 team goals-against average is fourth highest in the league.
"We're giving up too much," coach Bill Peters told the team's website. "It's not a recipe for success, short term or long term.
"Our details aren't very good. It compounds itself. Puck management is the biggest thing we have to address."
After facing the Senators, the Hurricanes will be off until visiting the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
"It's been a tough start, but it will be nice to get a few practices in after a big game in Ottawa, hopefully a good win," center Jordan Staal told the Hurricanes website. "We'll continue to work on the things we need to work on to be a better team."
While Hurricanes center Victor Rask has picked up at least one point in every game this season, Senators winger Mike Hoffman finally scored his first goal of the campaign in Edmonton.
Hoffman has been Ottawa's top marksman in each of the past two seasons.
"Coming in here and facing one of the best teams in the league was a big task for us," Hoffman said of the Edmonton game. "We all wanted to play for (Anderson) and do everything we could. It's a tough situation. He's a huge part of this team and for him to come in here and stand on his head like that ... we're a family."
