Last season, the annual California road trip came at a time when the Senators were down and out and left for dead. It was a daunting task considering the injuries that had recently befallen the Sens, and the fact that the season was now resting on the shoulders of one Andrew Hammond, and all the Senators did was sweep through Cali with 3 wins in 4 nights. Although they had already won 2 straight to start the epic run to the playoffs, the Senators were still 9 points out when they touched down in the Golden State.
This year, the Senators enter the annual journey with higher expectations, and coming off probably their worst performance of the year. Usually a whirlwind tour, this time around it is like a leisurely stroll where they will have time to stop and smell the roses, and maybe do a little bonding.
This Senators club, like many in the pack of the Eastern Conference and the NHL for that matter, a little consistency will go a long way. It is so tight that a 5 game run will put them right back into contention, and anything longer than that could put you in the running for a division lead. Just ask the Florida Panthers.
The Senators have been treading water with a win one, lose two, win one, lose an OT, pattern for more than a month and haven't put together back to back wins since Dec 3rd & 5th.
Usually this portion of the schedule appears like a red flag, and it usually has weird travel with San Jose mixed in between the two LA area teams, but that isn't the case this time. The Kings have been stellar, but the way the Ducks and Sharks have played this season they don't really make California the place where teams fear so much any more.
There is plenty of season left, and despite a brutal month the Senators are still just 1 point out of a wild-card spot.
Nobody expects the Senators to run off a streak like they did last year, but at this point in time that isn't needed. All that is required is each player looking at themselves in the mirror and deciding what they need to do to help their team win, and then going out and doing it more often than not.
Scorers gotta score, checkers gotta check, defenders gotta defend, and Karlsson's gotta Karlsson. Its pretty simple, go out and do your job. Its not going to work out every night, and the odd time the checkers have to chip in with some scoring and the scorers still have to make sure they look after their own end.
The Senators have a good opportunity here in the next week to show what they are made of, especially with the bad taste in their mouths from the Washington fiasco. It is up to them to show their mettle and bear down. Every player has more to give and to a man there needs to be more consistency.
No time like the present.
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One player who was the hero of the Cali road trip will not be along for the ride this time, as Andrew Hammond has left the team for personal reasons. Chrid Driedger was recalled, and will back up Craig Anderson for the foreseeable future. Fortunately the schedule is light enough in the next week or so that Anderson was probably going to start them all anyway.
There was no elaboration on what Hammond is dealing with, but I am sure you join me in hoping for the best for the Hamburglar and he can get back to action as soon as possible.