from Frank Seravalli of TSN,

Zack Smith was searching for the right word to describe the attitude that the Ottawa Senators embody in Guy Boucher’s disciplined system.

He paused.

“Stinginess,” Smith said, “I guess would be a way to describe it.

It is a stinginess that the NHL hasn’t seen since the New Jersey Devils of a decade gone. It can be an ugly way to play, but to the delight of fans in the Ottawa Valley, the Sens are proving its effectiveness.

Again.

The Pittsburgh Penguins knew what was coming against the Senators, yet by the end of Game 1, some of their stars were already showing visible signs of frustration from playing against the kind of staunch defensive front they haven’t faced in two long playoff runs.

“We definitely noticed,” defenceman Cody Ceci said of Pittsburgh’s frustration. “That just means we’re doing a good job. We try and take it with a grain of salt. We just kind of step back, keep playing the same way. Try not to focus on them too much, just focus on ourselves.”

Most teams talk about focusing on themselves, but the Senators mean it. It’s not hyperbole. Winger Bobby Ryan estimated that 80 per cent of Ottawa’s game plan revolves around their own approach, with only 20 per cent centred on their opponent.

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