praising players with relatively little big league experience
March 3rd, 2014 at 06:11 am(SportsNetwork.com) - The shock of Daniel Alfredssons departure from Ottawa has probably started to lighten a bit now that the NHL season is a few weeks old, but Senators fans may still have to blink a few times on Wednesday night when they see the veteran forward in a Detroit Red Wings sweater. The Sens will get a look at the definition of their past as they visit Alfredsson and the Red Wings for the first time since this season. You can catch all of the action live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt and get in-depth player stats, Twitter Trender and more on TSN.cas GameTracker. Alfredsson sent waves through the NHL, especially in Ottawa, when he departed the Sens as a free agent by signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Detroit on July 5. It ended a relationship with the city and franchise that began when the Senators took the Swede in the sixth round of the 1994 draft. "It was a very tough decision, especially when it happened fairly quickly. But the way I looked at it at the time and still do today, its a huge challenge for myself personally, both on and off the ice," Alfredsson told NHL.com. "Its a big challenge for our family and I think I will look back at this down the road as something that was a stepping stone for me in my life, in a lot of different areas." The 40-year-old played in 17 seasons with Ottawa before departing as the clubs all-time leader in goals (426), assists (682), points (1,108) and games played (1,108). He was selected to six All-Star Games in that span and served as the captain of the Senators from 1999-2013. Alfredsson, who has a goal and eight assists in 10 games with the Red Wings, will face the Senators again in Detroit on Nov. 23 just over a week before his first scheduled trip to Ottawa on Dec. 1. Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean is tasked with trying to keep his team focused on the task at hand and not on the reunion with Alfredsson. "I think Bobby Ryan went back to Anaheim and it was emotional for him," said MacLean. "Im not going to be able to speak for Daniel. Were just going there to play the Red Wings. Thats all my focus is on is were playing the Red Wings. Thats a big enough task in my book." The Sens and Red Wings will meet four times in total this season after realignment shifted Detroit from the Western to Eastern Conference. The Senators and Red Wings both now reside in the new-look Atlantic Division. Detroit has won four straight over Ottawa, scoring 19 goals over that time, and has not lost to the Senators since Jan. 12, 2008 on the road. The Red Wings have won two straight and five of the previous six meetings at home in this series. Alfredsson and the rest of the Red Wings offense was shut down in Mondays 1-0 shootout loss to the visiting San Jose Sharks. Jimmy Howard made 27 saves through overtime to get credited with his 17th career shutout, but allowed the only goal of the tiebreaker. "That was two really good teams playing some great defense out there," said Detroit head coach Mike Babcock. "Scoring chances were very few on both sides of the ice." The Red Wings lost their second game in a row, but are 4-1-1 in their past six games overall. Detroit will be without defenseman Jonathan Ericsson for at least the next two weeks due to a partially dislocated left shoulder. Niklas Kronwall, who intended to play on Wednesday, took a puck to the face at practice and will be a game time decision. The team recalled Xavier Oullett from Grand Rapids, who will step in if Kronwall is unable to play. The Sens, meanwhile, had a two-game win streak halted with Saturdays 3-1 home setback to the Edmonton Oilers. Chris Neil had a third-period goal and backup netminder Robin Lehner made 18 saves as Ottawa failed to record a point for the third time this season (3-3-2). "I dont think we had enough traffic at their net. We didnt get to their net probably as much as we needed to," noted MacLean. "If we could have got a little more traffic it probably would have helped us a lot, but they did a good job of boxing us out." As the Senators prepare to face their former star they recalled 20-year-old forward Mika Zibanejad from Binghamton on Tuesday. The sixth overall pick of the 2011 draft ranked fourth in scoring for the Sens last season, notching 20 points on seven goals and 13 assists in 42 games. The Swede had two goals and five assists in six games with the B-Sens of the American Hockey League this season. No. 1 goaltender Craig Anderson is likely to get the start tonight for the Sens and is just 2-5-0 with a 3.14 goals against average in 10 games (7 starts) versus the Red Wings. Howard is unbeaten in three starts against the Sens, going 3-0-0 with a 3.00 GAA.
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The left fielder turned a potential two-run double into an inning-ending double play with a leaping catch of Jesus Guzmans drive against the wall. Dillon Gee relaxed after that and struck out a career-high nine to lead the New York Mets over the San Diego Padres 6-1 Friday night. "Huge," Gee said. "It gives me confidence going the rest of the game." He started with a five-pitch walk to Will Venable and allowed Yonder Alonsos popped single to left that put runners at the corners. Baxter got a good read on Guzmans drive and made what he considered his best catch ever. "I didnt even play outfield in Little League and high school," he said. "Thats probably the first time at this level." He saw third baseman David Wright waving his arms to get his attention, then made a precise throw to shortstop Ronny Cedeno, who doubled up Alonso returning to first. "It really lifted Dillon and everyone else. It was a tremendous play," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Venable scored on the sacrifice fly, putting the Padres ahead. New York first baseman Ike Davis was disappointed when he found out about that. "I gave a first pump because I thought the run wouldnt count," Davis said. Once Gee was back in the dugout, he was told to slow down by pitching coach Dan Warthen. Gee (4-3) wound up allowing just the one run and four hits in seven innings, combining with Tim Byrdak and Ramon Ramirez on a four-hitter. Following Sundays 6-5 win at Toronto, Gee has wins in consecutive outings for the first time since he reeled off five in a row from May 13 to June 10 last year. "Thats what I want to be, is a consistent guy that you know what youre going to get every night out. Lately I havent been that guy, and it really gets under my skin," Gee said. "I just feel my mechanics have been all out of whack. My right foot didnt know what my left foot was doing, and I just felt lost." Lucas Duda hit a tying home run in the second off Anthony Bass (2-5), a solo drive off the front of the second deck in right, Consecutive doubles by Gee and Baxter put the Mets ahead in the third, just the second extra-base hit for Gee in 70 career at-bats. Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with an RBI single for a 3-1 lead. "Thats another thing that was getting under my skin. I didnt have a hit yet this year," said Gee, who had been 0 for 11. "I came in the dugout and I was just gasping for air." Baxter, hitting .3352 in 54 at-bats, started in left field and led off for the third time in four games, forcing Andres Torres to the bench.dddddddddddd. The 27-year-old from Queens was claimed off waivers from San Diego last July. Collins compared him in a way to Mike Piazza, a 62nd-round draft pick for the Los Angeles who became a 12-time All-Star for the Dodgers and the Mets. "He came to camp to make the club," the manager said. "Now he made the club. Hes pretty tough to get out of the lineup right now." Baxter was filled with praise for the Padres and their organization, and he was happy to see some of his former teammates. "Hes a solid, fundamentally sound player. I think our minor league people taught him well," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Hes a bright kid, our minor league guys really liked him. The cool thing is when a guy comes back and plays in his hometown." New York, which has split the first half of the four-game series, broke it open in the fifth when Daniel Murphy hit an RBI double and slumping Ike Davis hit a two-run single. Davis, who entered with a .164 average, has driven in runs in consecutive games for the third time this season. "Im a lot better player than Ive showed," he said "Thats what Im supposed to do. Tonight I actually helped the team do something." Bass allowed six runs -- matching his season high -- eight hits and three walks in 5 1-3 innings. "Honestly, its the best I felt all year," he said. "Every mistake I made they hit." Wright went 0 for 3 with a walk, dropping his average to .397 -- only its third day under .500 since May 12. Collins was especially pleased the rest of his offence came through on a night Wright didnt, praising players with relatively little big league experience. "They have been on those bus rides together. Theyre up here now finally enjoying the fruits of all that time in the minor leagues," Collins said. "They just enjoy playing with each other and playing hard. The winning is certainly a reflection of the way theyve played the game." NOTES: Van Smith, a scout for the Padres since 1991, died Thursday at the age of 67. ... Mets RHP Chris Young allowed three earned runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings for St. Lucie against Charlotte in the Class A Florida State League. he threw 54 of 74 pitches for strikes. ... Carlos Quentin, still recovering from right knee surgery in spring training, was supposed to made a rehab appearance for Class A Lake Elsinore. He also played for the Storm on May 9 and 10. ' ' '