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Senators goalie Anderson gets shutout in first game after wife's cancer diagnosis

 
Published Oct. 31, 2016

EDMONTON, Alberta — Craig Anderson returned after his wife's cancer diagnosis and made 37 saves for his second shutout in two starts, helping the Senators beat the Oilers 2-0 on Sunday night.

Anderson left the team Thursday to be with his wife, Nicholle, but he returned to start this game at her urging after the Senators lost backup goalie Andrew Hammond for at least a week with a lower-body injury suffered Friday in Calgary,

Teammates took turns hugging Anderson after the final horn, and the 35-year-old goalie was crying on the ice after being named the game's first star.

"We did everything we could to help him, but he played a (great) game himself," captain Erik Karlsson said.

Mike Hoffman and Bobby Ryan scored for the Senators, who have won two of three.

The Oilers ended a five-game winning streak. Cam Talbot made 20 saves. After taking off some of his gear after the game, Talbot returned to the rink to applaud Anderson as he was named first star.

Edmonton had a great chance seven minutes into the second period, but Anderson made a big kick save on rookie Jesse Puljujarvi.

Ottawa scored 12:18 into the middle frame when Tom Pyatt was rewarded for some hard work, sending a backhand pass from behind the net in front to Hoffman, who scored his first of the season.

Hoffman hit a post with a power-play blast later in the period.

Anderson made another huge save midway through the third, stopping Jordan Eberle from point-blank range.

Anderson is in his 14th NHL season and seventh with the Senators. He also shut out Vancouver in his last start, Oct. 25.

Ottawa put the game away with an empty-netter from Ryan with 32 seconds remaining.