For some, work-related meetings provide an opportunity...to play Angry Birds. Or maybe sleep with their eyes open.
In Ottawa, they carry a bit more weight.
The day after clinching a playoff berth, the Senators were quick to point out two key meetings that essentially saved their season. The first was on Oct. 18 after a 7-2 drubbing against Philly, a loss that put them in the Eastern Conference basement (the Sens were 1-5 and had allowed 30 goals.) Ottawa responded from that meeting with a six-game winning streak.
The second occurred just a short while ago. More, from Sportsnet’s Ian Mendes:
The Senators team bus pulled back into Scotiabank Place around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday March 24, after a humiliating 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens the night before. The players exited the bus as a mentally fragile and defeated group, having lost three consecutive games and culminating with a lackluster performance at the Bell Centre.
About nine hours later, the club’s three captains - Daniel Alfredsson and alternates Jason Spezza and Chris Phillips - were huddled inside the coach’s office for an extended meeting with Paul MacLean. The leadership group was trying to break the team out of an extended malaise, which had seen them score only three goals in three games. Qualifying for the post-season - which seemed like a foregone conclusion in early March - was now in serious jeopardy.
“That was one of those moments where we just wanted to discuss what was going on with Mac. Not hitting the panic button was the big message,” said Spezza.
The Senators have won four straight since the loss in Montreal, including huge victories over Pittsburgh (8-4) and Philadelphia (4-3 SO). That’s been their season in a nutshell -- rebounding from stretches of adversity with stretches of stellar play:
Nov. 1-11: 0-4-1 vs. Bruins, Habs, Sabres, Rangers and Sabres.
Nov. 12-29: 5-1-1 vs. Leafs, Flames, Oilers, Canucks, Pens, ‘Canes and Jets.
Jan. 21-Feb. 7: 0-6-1 vs. Ducks, Kings, ‘Yotes, Bruins, Isles, Leafs and Blues.
Feb. 9-28: 7-1-1 vs. Preds, Oilers, Bolts, Panthers, Isles, Caps, Bruins, Isles and Bruins.
Mar. 10-23: 1-3-2 vs. Sabres, Habs, Habs, Leafs, Devils, Habs.
Mar. 24-present: 4-0-0 vs. Pens, Jets, Flyers, Isles.
So, what’s been the mentality in snapping losing streaks with such aplomb?
“Coach mentioned that we were playing a little bit too cautious -- like we were happy to just be hanging around games instead of going out and initiating,” Alfredsson said. “Stay positive and be more aggressive -- I think that was the message.”
Phillips said there was a sense of pride involved as well.
“We all wanted to step up,” said Phillips, who scored a power play goal that night against the Penguins. “We’ve said this all year long: You can talk all you want and say all the right things but for us, it’s about going out and leading by example.”