OTTAWA, Ont. — This game was meaningless in the standings, but meaningful just the same for Ottawa Senators’ goaltender Craig Anderson.
Someday he’ll look back on Monday’s visit by the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Canadian Tire Centre as another one of his career memories, but not right now because the 37-year-old goaltender is more focused on trying to finish out this frustrating season rather than focusing on hitting another milestone.
As the Senators opened the final week of this season, Anderson made his 400th career appearance in the Ottawa net in a 5-2 loss to the Lightning and it says a lot about his longevity as he wraps up his ninth season with Ottawa when the Senators face the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday.
“Thats a long time,” Anderson said with a smile before facing the Bolts. “You just keep playing and you don’t really think about it. In the grand scheme of things, it’s big accomplishment, but you just go out there, play hockey and let you guys keep the counters going.”
When the late Bryan Murray acquired the veteran goalie from the Colorado Avalanche for Brian Elliott on Feb. 18, 2011, the Senators simply wanted to see what Anderson could do. Who would have though that all these years later he’d still be the club’s No. 1 netminder?
Anderson now has a 191-150-44 record lifetime record with the Senators. He’s the franchise leader in victories and games-played, plus this was the 613th game of his career and those are pretty strong numbers for a guy who went through entry draft twice.
No, the Senators haven’t had the kind of success anybody else expected this season, but coach Marc Crawford is thrilled Anderson has been able to achieve this milestone especially after coming off a 42-save effort in a 4-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday.
“Four-hundred games? That’s a great number,” Crawford said before facing Tampa. “He didn’t get a chance to play his 600th game at home. This is great that he gets to play his 400th game as a Senator at home. Obviously, this is a huge challenge.
“He was terrific in the game against Toronto (Saturday). If your goaltender gives you a chance to win, and I thought he did such a remarkable job in that because we gave up something like nine scoring chances in the first period against Toronto — that’s too many to have success on a regular basis.
“But we were in it because our goalie was really good. He allowed us to get better in the game. We’ve talked that with a young team you need a veteran goalie that can steady the team and he did exactly that.”
Anderson played game No. 600 Feb. 18 against the Chicago Blackhawks when he was called into duty in the first period after backup Anders Nilsson was pulled when he gave up four goals on 12 shots. The club had hoped Anderson would reach the number at home.
“The longevity to be able to play over 400 games (with one team) is remarkable and now he’s over 600 games played in the NHL,” said Crawford. “It’s a wonderful happening that he’s playing his 400th.”
This was Anderson’s 49th appearance this season. He went into the game with a 17-25-4 record, 3.43 goals-against average and .906 save-percentage. No, those aren’t sparkling numbers, but the Senators have given up the most shots and scoring chances in the league this season.
He wished this game had meant more, however, this club is in a rebuild and he’s part of the group of veterans trying to help show the young players the right way. Anderson, who is in the twilight of his career, said he hopes the newcomers can learn a lesson from missing the playoffs this spring.
“You’d always like to be there at the end,” Anderson said. “No one likes playing for nothing in the last part of the season but it’s the cards we were dealt this year and we have to learn from it and understand this feeling that we’re having right now of not being in a position of playing for something.
“(They) have to take that and go forward for the following season, especially for our young guys. I remember early in my career, if you lose out in the first round or you miss the playoffs, it was always, ‘Oh well, there’s always next year’. As a guy who’s been around, there’s been a lot of next years, but the next years are running out.
“Make the most of your opportunities and don’t let any slip away. That’s got to be the message for the young guys. Enjoy the moment and enjoy the ride, but at the same time don’t take anything for granted.”
Twitter: @sungarrioch
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