SUNRISE, Fla. — No need to stay away from Pascal Leclaire when he doesn’t have the flu.
The Senators goalie is a lot like Tim Thomas and Martin Brodeur and, of course, that great dressing room story-teller, Marty Biron. He doesn’t at all mind talking on a game day.
On days they’re working the pipes, other goalies wouldn’t say “wow” if Keeley Hazell walked in the room. (Google her, okay?)
“We don’t play for eight hours,” Leclaire said Wednesday morning — after doing a revealing Q and A with an Ottawa reporter that will soon appear in this very newspaper — to the comment that there are some of his kind who refuse such chats on days they play. “If I can’t get focused by then ... I’m going to have a lonely career.”
Cheapseats was even going to claim an assist on Leclaire’s strong opening period Wednesday night, especially the flurry he turned back in the dying seconds of it — in his first appearance back after battling a bug.
“I think it helps you take your mind off things,” he said of the visit. “When you’re playing, you can’t think too much.”
Whereas some guys might hide in the trainer’s room rather than chat with reporters, Leclaire relishes the moments.
“I love the media,” he said, straightfaced. “We all grew up watching hockey. Doing interviews, on TV, with newspaper guys ... it gives you a good vibe.”
Yup, good guy, that Pascal, whose play thus far has given Senators fans a positive vibe.
But maybe he shouldn’t have overdone it on his first day back at work out of sick bay. Complaining that he wasn’t feeling well, Leclaire gave way to Brian Elliott to start the second. Sorry, Ottawa fans. Maybe I shoulda let him get back to the hotel for some rest right after the practice ...
Makes you go hmmm...
Rough start to the night for the struggling Jonathan Cheechoo. He took two penalties by the 12:12 mark and in between saw the puck bounce in off his check for Florida’s first goal. In fact, when Steven Reinprecht fished the round rubber out of the Ottawa net, some of us thought he was going to give it to Cheechoo as a souvenir for his first goal as a Senator. But no, it went off the Panthers veteran, and nobody in press row was quite sure why he wanted what would be his fifth of the season and 125th of his career.
Starts and stops
Cory Clouston believes it’s best for Erik Karlsson to spend some time in what the former Bingo coach calls “the best developmental league in the world.” Said Clouston: “Just the pace of the game ... he’s going to have a lot of pressure on him. He’s going to learn to play the pressure game a lot more.” By that, Clouston means the kid will have to become adept at moving the puck before he gets drilled. All in all, Binghamton will be a character-building experience for Karlsson, said the coach. Oh, and the the talk about the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena being a bandbox? A myth, reveals Clouston. “Just so you guys know, the rink isn’t that much smaller. We actually measured it. It’s only about three feet, two feet shorter, and it’s only about a foot and a half narrower.” Who said there’s nothing to do in Bingo?
Between periods
Missing what he calls his “instinctual touch,” a struggling Ryan Shannon was Ottawa’s healthy scratch Wednesday night, allowing Shean Donovan to get back in the lineup. “I’m not comfortable sitting out,” Shannon said after a morning bag skate. “I’m going to work hard to kind of get my groove back.” Shannon, who has zero points and is minus-3 in six games, missed three with an “upper body” injury we’re willing to bet was a mild concussion. He hasn’t had his timing or confidence since. “When I get the puck sometimes, my first reaction is to wait then analyze, when the strength of my game has always been playing with kind of a reckless abandon ... you get the puck, but you know where you’re going before you get it. I’m looking to get rid of that hesitation and play a speed game.”
Just sayin'
Imagine, we’re in the Panthers dressing room after a morning skate and over the sound system come the dulcet tones of Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo, the second-best and best Canadian bands of all time, respectively. As far as eastern NHL cities go, you couldn’t get further from the border than Sunrise, Fla. They don’t have their own music to listen to down here? “I don’t touch it, I never have in 13 years,” Peterborough-native (and Panthers winger) Cory Stillman says when asked what gives with the music played in the different dressing rooms he has called home. “At least you can hear it now. Usually, it’s just a racket.” Somebody’s getting old ... Panthers rookie Dmitry Kulikov played his 10th game Wednesday night, meaning he is not going back to his QMJHL junior team in Drummondville, which he likes for its proximity to both Montreal and Quebec City. Would you rather spend the winter there or in Florida, he was asked. Here in Florida, he answered. “What kind of question is that?” Kulikov said with a laugh ... As pointed out by the Panthers P.A. announcer, it was 80 F in Sunrise Wednesday and 41 F in Ottawa. Thought you’d like that.
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