Heatley And The Sharks Give The Sens Something To Boo About

Added on Dec 03, 2010 by J Merrill in

NHL

“They’re passionate fans and they love their team.” The jeers and boos for former Senator Dany Heatly started the minute warm ups started. When the night was over the Senators fans had a lot to boo about after being shut out 4-0 to the San Jose Sharks. “Once it starts you tend to tune it out. I got a pretty good taste of (the booing) in the warm-up and I figured that’s what it would be like the entire game,” Heatly said.

Heatley managed only one assist in his return to Ottawa, but Logan Couture scored twice and Antti Niemi stopped all 28 shots he faced as the Sharks blanked the slumping Senators 4-0 in Heatley’s first game at Scotiabank Place since requesting a trade in the summer of 2009. “I don’t want to say it makes it more fun, but it makes it more exciting and gets a little more adrenaline going. I thought it was a pretty good playoff-like atmosphere.”

Heatley was traded the opening day of training camp, in 2009, at his request. Fans didn’t like this because he was only one year in to a 6 year contract. Heatley played four seasons with the Senators, scoring 180 goals and adding 182 assists. He scored 50 goals twice, but had just 72 points in his final season with the club. They beat the Senators, last December 1, 2009, 5-2 in San Jose, but this was his first trip back to Ottawa since the deal.

Pascal Leclaire, Ottawa’s goaltender was clearly up set about the lack of offense from his forwards. He faced 33 shots, but the Sens went scoreless, and have lost seven of their last nine games. “We have to give them credit because they’re a good team, but we’re going through a stretch where we’re having trouble scoring goals,” Leclaire said.

Logan Couture, who had two goals on the night, was having a reunion of his own. He, Jamie McGinn and Derek Joslin were all former captains of the Ottawa 67s in the Ontario Hockey League, were playing their first NHL games in Ottawa. He really enjoyed the experience, but he is always looking for for more. “Maybe another goal at the end would have been nice, but I’m happy to score a couple of goals,” Couture said. “It was

pretty cool and there were a couple of claps. When I went out for the first star people stuck around and gave me some applause which was pretty cool.” He concluded “It’s something very special for us three to get a chance to play on the same NHL team and then come back to the junior city where we all spent four years is something special and we’re all thankful for it.”

The San Jose Sharks, who are 4th in the Pacific Division, are 12-8-4, 28pts, and they will be at The Montreal Canadiens 16-8-2, 34pts. The Senators (11-14-1, 23pts) will face the Buffalo Sabres 9-13-3, 21pts. Both Games will happen on Friday.