Senators Artcles: B-Sens' Stephens adjusts to role Sens
April 27, 2005

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

B-Sens' Stephens adjusts to role Sens

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Press & Sun-Bulletin

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. -- With less than a month left in the regular season, Charlie Stephens set a personal goal to finish with 10 goals. He fell short by three.

But Stephens, previously a 20-goal scorer in the AHL who was relegated to a third-line role on a Binghamton Senators team loaded with NHLers, said the least productive offensive season of his career has also been the best learning experience.

"I think this year's been really good for me because I've been able to break out of some bad habits," Stephens said. "Instead of trying to stickhandle through two guys to get out of the zone, I've learned to just chip it out. There's a time and a place when you're in a role to make that move, but the role I play here, it's best to make the simple play."

Stephens can still make the offensive play, too. In Game 2 of the East Division semifinals against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, he scored twice in the Senators' 4-2 victory that set the stage Monday night's Game 3.

BEATEN AND BATTERED

While Denis Hamel, who led the Senators with 39 goals, returned after injuring his left knee during the first period of Game 1, the Penguins were missing several key players.

Rugged winger Ramzi Abid, flattened by Senators enforcer Chris Neil in Game 2, was sidelined by what the Penguins were calling the flu. Also, defensemen Ross Lupaschuk (family emergency) and Kyle Rossiter (groin) missed the game, forcing winger Matt Murley to play defense.

UGLY INCIDENT

The AHL has indefinitely suspended Norfolk Admirals defenseman Anton Babchuk and will launch an investigation into an incident that occurred with 13 minutes left in the Admirals' Game 2 loss in Philadelphia last Saturday night.

Babchuk, a 20-year-old Ukranian, threw a water bottle into the stands that allegedly hit a 7-year-old boy near the left eye, according to Sunday's edition of the Delaware County Times. According to a report out of Norfolk, the Admirals suspended Babchuk before the AHL did.

"We miss him in terms of on-ice performance, but there's bigger fish to fry here," Admirals coach Trent Yawney told the Virginian Pilot of Norfolk. "He's got to learn, and he's got to pay for a lack of discipline."

SLAP SHOTS

The Penguins got permission from the AHL to wear their white road sweaters at home for Game 3 as part of a "White Out" promotion. Fans also were encouraged to wear white. ... Only two goalies have been selected with the first overall pick in the NHL draft, and the Senators have faced both in their three-year playoff history. They defeated Rick DiPietro and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the second round in 2003 and beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 1 of this series.