"He's looked sharp, focused, quick ... better than he did all last season.
One untimely Alex Ovechkin shot aside, Pascal Leclaire has been exactly what the Senators need him to be. And if Cory Clouston doesn't start Leclaire Thursday against the Hurricanes, it could very well be his first mishandling of Senators goalies since March 4 in Carolina, when Leclaire, making his first start in two months, was inappropriately pulled after giving up two goals on five shots, neither of which were his fault.
Leclaire's confidence never recovered from that whipping.
No, goaltending has not been the reason for Ottawa's stutter start to the 2010-11 campaign. The problem has been at the other end of the rink. Through three games, the Senators have four goals. Their leading scorers are third-liners Jarkko Ruutu and Chris Neil, both of whom are paid more for their grit than their snipe.
Yet Ruutu (one goal, one assist) and Neil (two assists) are the only Senators with more than one point.
This isn't the first time Ruutu — who established a career high in points last season with 26 — has jumped off to a fast start. As a Penguin, he scored two points in Game 1 of the 2006-07 season.
"So that was (on pace for) 164," he cracked Wednesday. "But I didn't make it, which was kind of disturbing for me."
Ruutu finished that campaign with 16 points.
So, does he have a reasonable shot at 100 this season?
"Yeah," Ruutu deadpanned. "I put a lot of pressure on myself."
In all seriousness, the Ruutu-Chris Kelly-Neil line has been Ottawa's most consistent unit, just as it was through much of last season. Ruutu says there's lots to be said for the cohesiveness that comes with staying together.
"When you know the guys, their strengths, and you get in a certain rhythm, it helps," he said. "I think it's the chemistry, when you have to think the game in the same way. If you throw three guys out there that think different, you're not ever going to hit the chemistry."
Ruutu, Kelly and Neil are less concerned with personal stats than with scoring points for the system, for the greater good. Their game is cycling, hitting, creating turnovers. If something else comes from them, it's a bonus."
