• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Ottawa Senators

An Improbable Run: The Cinderella Sens

By Callum Fraser April 12th, 2015

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

It’s nothing short of miraculous. The Ottawa Senators have defied logic, stared down the eyes of defeat and achieved the improbable.

Their astounding late-season sprint from tank to triumph could make a nonbeliever attest to religion, faith and destiny all in one.

Cinderella, herself, would be speechless, jaw unhinged and eyes wide open at Ottawa’s impossible run to the playoffs.

View image | gettyimages.com

 

Maybe it’s just simply meant to be.

For a team to go from fifth last in the league to clinch a postseason birth on the last day of the season, it’s unimaginable. On Feb. 10, the Senators were 14 points behind the final wild card holder Boston Bruins and dropping closer and closer to the bottom of the standings one day after another. Both goalies, Robin Lehner and Craig Anderson, were out long-term and Ottawa was forced to use call-ups from the AHL and ECHL.

Enter Andrew Hammond: the one with the glass slipper.

His AHL numbers were subpar, to say the least. Actually, they were absolutely atrocious. With a save percentage of .898 and a goals against average of 3.51, Senators fans were licking their chops at the opportunity to worsen their record and improve their draft pick. Hammond had other plans, though.

After a surprising defeat of the Montreal Canadiens in his first ever start in the NHL, Hammond picked up another win against the Florida Panthers. And just like that, he also had his first winning streak.

Then, with the help of Hammond’s impressive 174-minute shutout streak, the Senators strolled out of their three-game California road trip with six points. With a five-game winning streak under their belt, the playoffs weren’t looking so far-fetched anymore. They had conquered Death Valley and all of a sudden were examining the probabilities of a playoff spot.

After the winning continued and word spread of the Cinderella Sens making a mad dash for the postseason, there was finally a bump in the road.  The dream looked to be slipping away.

Following a heart-breaking shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs that had everyone preparing the proverbial coffin the Senators were likely to be laying in soon, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in the midst of hammering in the nails, closing the lid to Ottawa’s playoff hopes once and for all.

And they were oh, so close.

With only two more games left in the regular season, the Senators saw themselves down 3-0 to the Penguins nearing the end of the second period. But just when all seemed lost, the – dare I say it – Pesky Sens intervened.

score situations

(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Jean-Gabriel Pageau tallied a shorthanded goal on a lucky bounce off a Pittsburgh defender and suddenly Ottawa had life. After Mark Stone had cut the lead to one 34 seconds into the third period, Mike Hoffman, with the Senators net empty, added some late game heroics, blasting a wrist shot by a screened Marc-Andre Fleury with just over a minute left in the game.

Stone – a rookie with a flair for the dramatic – then took it upon himself to end the game in overtime. And the rest is history.

Stories like this come around once in a lifetime. The Senators went 21-3-3 down the stretch and barely squeaked in a postseason birth. The city of Ottawa – mocked for its reputation of often poor attendance and lack of enthusiasm while attempting to support the local hockey team – is now reenergized.

Over 11,000 people marched into the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday to essentially watch a regular season game on a TV, albeit an extremely large one. Excitement like this hasn’t engulfed the team since the mid 2000’s when the Senators were the envy of the NHL.

In what’s looking like a rematch for the ages, the Senators will take on the Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and maybe the CTC will be opened a couple more times for fans to gather and watch their team on the road like they did countless times many years ago.

***

You couldn’t kill the Ottawa Senators if you had a loaded rifle to their head; they just wouldn’t die. Every single day it felt like the run finally had to come to an end. It had dragged on for too long and someone had to put a stop to the madness. But they refused to quit.

The Senators run was like watching the Los Angeles Kings come back from a 3-0 series deficit behind the San Jose Sharks, only to win four straight games and achieve the unimaginable.

Except it happened over, and over, and over again.

And they’re still not done.

 

  • Tags
  • Andrew Hammond
  • Erik Karlsson
  • Mark Stone
  • Mike Hoffman
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 27th 5:45 PM
New York Rangers

Rangers Goaltending Struggles Show Georgiev Is Best Option

Jan 27th 5:30 PM
Column

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Holl, Andersen, Marner, Matthews & Woll

Jan 27th 5:20 PM
New York Islanders

Islanders Season Ticket Sales at UBS Arena Exceeding Expectations

Jan 27th 5:10 PM
Edmonton Oilers

4 Ups and 4 Downs Eight Games Into Oilers 2020-21 NHL Season

Jan 27th 4:35 PM
Column

Blues Weekly: Standout Performances Highlight .500 Week

Jan 27th 4:15 PM
Arizona Coyotes

Soup To Nuts, Coyotes Make Moves To Improve On All Levels

Jan 27th 4:05 PM
Commentary

3 Stars That Could Be Traded in the Wake of the Laine/Dubois Deal

Jan 27th 3:55 PM
Editor's Choice

3 Best Edmonton Oilers to Never Win a Stanley Cup

Jan 27th 3:45 PM
Fantasy

Kings’ 5 Most Valuable Players for Fantasy Hockey

Jan 27th 3:35 PM
Columbus Blue Jackets

Why Burke Anticipates the Tortorella, Laine Relationship Will Be ‘Just Fine’ [Video]

Editor’s Picks
Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information