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 Ottawa Senators right winger Daniel Alfredsson (left) gets behind Buffalo Sabres defenceman Andrej Sekera and left winger Tim Kennedy to tap in the game-winning goal, as Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller reacts, during third period NHL hockey action in Buffalo, New York February 3. (REUTERS/Gary Wiepert) |
“How many games are left?” Alfredsson said playfully.
A more businesslike Ottawa captain addressed the same question on Friday.
“I’m not too worried about it,” said Alfredsson. “It’s been really nice to get it this far (11 consecutive wins), hopefully we can take it farther, but how long? I don’t know.”
Still a long six-game bridge from tying the NHL record of 17 wins in a row, neither Alfredsson nor his teammates will take lightly a Toronto squad that was given a major overhaul by GM Brian Burke’s trading of six players for Dion Phaneuf, J.S. Giguere and Fredrik Sjostrom.
“They’re a team now that basically, by making the moves, is telling everybody ‘we’re starting over here, trying to build something fresh.’ They have nothing to lose now, and I think that’s the way they’re going to play the rest of the year,” said Alfredsson. “I think they’re going to be a team that’s hard to play against.”
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En fuego: Dany Heatley was pleased to see his name erased from a section of the Senators’ record book — since buddy Jason Spezza made the revision with his current eight-game goal-scoring streak. “I did talk to him. He texted me and I text him back,” said Spezza. “After the start I had, he knew I was frustrated a little bit, so I think he was happy for me.” In scoring nine goals over the last eight games, he has had 33 shots on net. In the previous 13 games, he took 32 shots and had two goals. “You’ve got to see how the play evolves first, but definitely I’m trying to shoot a little bit more right now,” said Spezza.
Ready for Round 3?: Matt Carkner’s right hand was “pretty sore” Friday morning. Does that mean he won’t use it on Colton Orr Saturday? Each heavyweight has scored a decisive victory over the other during the past two Leafs-Sens games. “We’ll see what happens,” Carkner said. “I’m always ready.” Carkner’s 18th fight of the season, against Vancouver’s Tanner Glass, was likely the most lopsided beating administered in Senators history. “I was surprised to see him get back up those few times, because I hit him pretty hard,” said Carkner. “It was one of those things, you don’t feel bad doing it because he’s trying to hurt you too. I think he threw the first punch, and he hit me with it. Made me a little angry.”
Alfie's grand time: With 47 points in 47 games played, Alfredsson has kept alive the chances of hitting the 1,000-point mark by his 1,000th game. But he’s going to need to get hot, as he currently has 968 points in 979 games. “I don’t think it’s on the radar for this year,” he said of getting to 1,000 points this season. “You never know, but I don’t think about it that way.”