All hail the Ottawa Senators, who on Saturday completed one of the greatest late-season runs the NHL has even seen. Their reward: a place in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Mark Stone scored twice in a 3-1 road victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Needing a point in the game to make the playoff field, the Senators delivered another strong performance.
MORE: Playoff scenarios | Kevin Hayes' eye-popping goal | Penguins cling to hope
FINAL: @Senators (3) - @NHLFlyers (1) Recap: http://t.co/3rNZYDhuxU #OTTvsPHI pic.twitter.com/2EAYuNmTlj
— NHL (@NHL) April 11, 2015FINAL: @Senators (3) - @NHLFlyers (1) Recap: http://t.co/3rNZYDhuxU #OTTvsPHI pic.twitter.com/2EAYuNmTlj
— NHL (@NHL) April 11, 2015Who woulda thunk it?
Left for dead in the Eastern Conference on Feb. 10, the Senators got the spark they needed from goalie Andrew Hammond. In their last 31 games of the regular season, Hammond helped the Sens go 23-4-4. They got 50 of a possible 62 points in those games, in a span of two months.
Entering Saturday's games, the worst two point totals among all 30 teams were 54 for the Buffalo Sabres and 56 for the Arizona Coyotes. Both teams played 81 games before Saturday. The best point total: New York Rangers, 113 after Saturday's game.
Project the Senators' run over a full 82-game season, and they would have 132 points.
MORE: Hamburglar on the loose | GM Bryan Murray dying of colon cancer
With their victory, the Senators now wait on Saturday night games to determine their place in the playoffs. If the Detroit Rangers lose to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Sens would move to third place in the Atlantic Division. And Saturday's victory assured they will not play the Rangers in the first round.
At worst they would be a wild-card team. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins both needed to win to salvage their playoff hopes. If the Penguins beat the Buffalo Sabres, the Bruins would be eliminated.
The Stanley Cup playoffs begin April 15. What will the Senators and their goalie, The Hamburglar, do for an encore?
Since becoming the team's starter, CBS Sports noted on Saturday, Hammond has not just been good, but stunning. He was summoned with Robin Lehner and Craig Anderson injured and finished 20-1-2. Check this out: He allowed five third-period goals in 23 games.
The Senators aren't a one-man team, and the full kit and kaboodle came through. Now, they get to write a new chapter to one of the great NHL success stories.