Sens vs. Penguins 4/23/05 Articles: Stephens steps up; Winger's goals boost B-Sens
April 24, 2005

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Scott Lauber of Press Connects.com

Stephens steps up

Winger's goals boost B-Sens with Hamel out of lineup

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

BINGHAMTON -- Presented the other night with the scenario that the Binghamton Senators may be without Denis Hamel for a few games, center Pat Kavanagh suggested that other, less-heralded players would have to compensate for the absence of their injured leading goal scorer.

Kavanagh didn't point across the dressing room at Charlie Stephens, but he didn't have to. Many times this season, he has discussed this very opportunity with his road roommate.

Stephens, a 20-goal scorer in the AHL last season, has had to play more of a defensive role for the lockout-reinforced Senators. But his third career two-goal game came at just the right time in Saturday night's 4-2 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 2 of the East Division semifinals.

Playing before a sellout crowd of 4,710 in the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena, the first of the AHL playoffs in any venue, the Senators scored three third-period goals to break open a 1-1 tie and seize a commanding 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Wilkes-Barre for Game 3 on Monday night.

"It's one advantage of our team that we have a lot of depth," Stephens said. "Obviously, Hammer scored 39 goals, so I want him in the lineup. But any time I can score a couple, especially in the playoffs, I'm happy."

Stephens, a 22-year-old winger with obvious offensive skills, has scored three in the first two games of this series. His production on the Senators' so-called "Grind Line" has more than made up for the loss of Hamel, who injured his left knee in the first period of Game 1 and had to miss Game 2.

Stephens' wrist shot from the left circle off a feed from new linemate Brian McGrattan opened a 1-0 lead with 1:44 gone in the game and his shot from between the circles off another McGrattan pass forged a 3-1 advantage 5:06 into the third period.

"As it's come down to the end of the season, we've realized we're going to need to chip in more offensively," Kavanagh said. "You're going to have to get scoring from different sources. You can't go anywhere without that. Charlie has really gotten us started off on the right foot."

Chris Neil, the rugged Ottawa Senators' winger whose decision to join the Senators in March was perhaps the biggest addition for any AHL club, backhanded a shot into the top corner of the net 49 seconds into the third period to break the tie and awaken a Senators team that was badly outplayed in the second.

In an entirely predictable move, Penguins coach Michel Therrien attempted to spark his team by making a goalie switch for Game 2, and for two periods, it worked.

Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh's top prospect and the first overall pick in the 2003 NHL draft, gave way to Andy Chiodo after yielding five goals on 29 shots in Game 1. A midseason ankle injury and inconsistency landed Chiodo in the ECHL for part of the season, but he gained a reputation as a clutch goalie by leading the Penguins to the Calder Cup finals last spring.

Senators co-coach John Paddock, who guessed Chiodo would start the playoff-opener, predicted after Game 1 that Therrien would make the move.

"We thought we would see them both," Paddock said, "and by the time (Saturday) night is over, I think we will."

It took the Senators -- and Stephens -- exactly 104 seconds to greet Chiodo with a goal.

But after having a stronger first period than they did one night earlier, the Senators took only a 1-0 lead into the intermission. The Penguins came alive in the second, and after a spearing major to Andy Hedlund put them on a power play, Eric Christensen's diagonal pass to the faceoff dot found Kris Beech for the tying goal.

From there, Ray Emery (29 saves) was his solid self, allowing the Senators to go on one of the offensive runs that have become their trademark. The Senators allowed the Penguins only four third-period shots.

"It's no secret that our third and fourth lines could be second or first lines on some other teams," Emery said. "Now, we have a guy like Charlie Stephens who steps up when he gets the opportunity. He's capable of doing some good things offensively and he's showing it."