Anderson insists NHL weekly honour is reflection of team’s strong performance
 |
| After posting a 3-0-1 record, Senators goaltender Craig Anderson was named the NHL’s third star of the week. He is the league’s leader in games played, shots faced and saves (Francois Laplante/Freestyle/Getty Images). |
The National Hockey League’s busiest goaltender is anything but a one-man band.
While Craig Anderson is riding a personal 5-0-1 streak, the Ottawa Senators stopper is quick to point out his personal success merely reflects the performance of his team as a whole. Only one statistic, he adds, really matters in the end.
“It shows the amount of character we have in this room,” Anderson responded when it was pointed out he’d reached the 20-win plateau for the season Sunday with the Senators’ 6-4 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Place. “We’re a resilient bunch, we find ways to win and that’s all that really matters at the end of the day — the win and the two points. There’s not really much more to say.”
Anderson’s play in the Senators’ last four games earned the 30-year-old netminder the NHL’s third star of the week recognition, behind Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars and Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In the last week, Anderson posted a 3-0-1 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. He also recorded his league-leading fourth assist of the season in a 3-2 overtime victory over the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 2.
Through games on Sunday, Anderson was also the NHL leader in games played (38), shots faced (1,120) and saves (1,010). His season record now stands at 20-12-4 with a 3.13 GAA and .902 save percentage. Anderson’s win total ranks him in a tie for second in the league with Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators, and behind only Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings (24).
Around the boards
With 41 points (6-35), Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson leads all NHL defencemen in scoring, ranks 16th overall and is just four shy of matching his career best of 45 set a year ago. And that’s with 39 games still left in the season. “There’s not many defencemen in the league right now that can do what he’s doing,” said Filip Kuba, his defence partner … Kuba and Erik Condra share the team plus-minus lead with impressive +13 totals … After facing the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night at the Consol Energy Center (7 p.m., Sportsnet East, Team 1200), the Senators’ week concludes with a Thursday date at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers (7 p.m., Sportsnet East, Team 1200) and a Saturday trip to Montreal’s Bell Centre to face the Canadiens (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1200).
From OttawaSenators.com