Mar 8, 2014; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Ottawa Senators forward Mike Hoffman (68) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Ottawa wins 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Sometimes an offensive player just needs a spark to get going and open the floodgates. Sometimes a young offensive player just needs the right opportunity at the right time.
The hand injury to Clarke MacArthur might just have a silver lining, because it put Mike Hoffman in that situation.
Hoffman had played 11 games over the last 3 NHL seasons prior to Saturday, but the AHL’s second leading scorer this season was still looking for his first career NHL point. MacArthur’s injury opened up a spot on a line with Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan, as well as some key power play time. Hoffman took full advantage of the opportunity against the Jets. He registered his first career assist on a nice one handed pass to Turris while he was being taken down behind the Winnipeg net, and then less than a minute later he was on the first power play unit and got wide open for Jason Spezza‘s cross-crease pass that he put into the back of the net for his first career goal.
Sometimes an offensive player just needs a jolt of confidence, and if Hoffman can be a contributor to the Senators over the next month, you could trace it right back to that 48 second span in the middle of the second period where he probably went from gripping his stick too tight fearing a demotion back to Binghamton to realizing the net is the same size in the NHL as it is in the AHL, and that he can indeed find that back of it at this level too.