Anderson blanks Oilers in emotional return
EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Ottawa Senators wanted to deliver a huge emotional victory for goaltender Craig Anderson.
Instead, it was the other way around.
Anderson, rejoining the team after his wife had been diagnosed with cancer, stepped up and stole a 2-0 victory over the high scoring Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena.
After returning home to Ottawa from a road trip last week to be with his wife Nicholle, Anderson flew back west Sunday when backup Andrew Hammond suffered a lower body injury Friday in Calgary.
It was an incredibly selfless move that resonated with the team. And it was more than just an emotional lift. Anderson had a stellar night for the Senators, stopping 37 shots in the victory.
Center Mike Hoffman gave the Sens a 1-0 lead at 12:18 of the second period, marking just the second goal that Oilers goalie Cam Talbot had allowed in 248 minutes.
It stood up as the winner.
Bobby Ryan scored the insurance marker into an empty net.
Anderson also posted a 22-save shutout in the first game of the road trip Tuesday in Vancouver before flying back home.
The win capped a 2-1 road trip for the Senators and improved their record to 5-3. The Oilers, who came into the game looking to strengthen their grip in first place in the Western Conference with a sixth consecutive victory, instead fell to 7-2-0 as they head out for a five-game road trip.
They had plenty of chances to pull ahead, especially in the first period when they had three straight power plays and held Ottawa to four shots, but they could not get anything done.
NOTES: Before Sunday the Oilers had trailed since the second period of their 3-1 win over St. Louis, a run of 213 minutes, 39 seconds. ... The Senators lost backup Andrew Hammond on Friday to what the club is calling a lower-body injury in the first period of their 5-2 loss in Calgary, so they've called up rookie G Chris Driedger to back up Craig Anderson, who returned to the team at the urging of his wife Nicholle, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. ... Sens LW Clarke MacArthur is skating and hopes to return this season after suffering a concussion in training camp (the fourth of his career). ... Sens C Curtis Lazar, who played Junior hockey in Edmonton, is in the AHL as he fights his way back from a case of mononucleosis. ... Oilers G Cam Talbot is tied for the NHL lead in starts by a goalie with nine. He's played every game of the season so far for Edmonton. He's posted two shutouts in his last three games.