Last year, during the NHL lockout, the Ottawa Senators skated with the Carleton Ravens. This year, fifth-year goaltender for the Ravens, Ryan Dube, got the opportunity to practice with the Senators.
“Senators called Sunday night after Anderson got hurt, and they were travelling, and their call-up in Binghamton didn’t have time to go,” Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said. “I think the relationship we had with the Senators last year, skating here and stuff, they gave me a call, and we felt that Ryan was very deserving of that opportunity.”
Dube said the practice with the Senators was a lot different than his usual practices.
“It was a lot more laid back, I mean it was a day before a game for them, and they were working on systems and what not, so it was a lot lighter tempo I’d say. Everything was more relaxed compared to our practices which are really upbeat,” Dube said.
Dube said this was not his first call-up to the Senators as he was called on in his second year of university to be with the team during a game, but did not get to gear up.
“There was a trade for McElhinney and his equipment didn’t make it from wherever he was, so he called me and I was in the rink two hours before the game with my gear and that, but he ended up wearing Spezza’s brother’s equipment,” Dube said. “I still have a copy of the contract that I was going to sign and everything, which is kind of cool.”
Dube said he did not talk much about goaltending at the practice with Robin Lehner, who took over for Craig Anderson as the starting goalie while Anderson was injured.
Even though Dube said he did not receive a lot of goaltending advice from Lehner, he said he had a great experience.
After the practice when the team was in the dressing room, Dube said Senators captain Jason Spezza commented on a wrap-around goal he scored during practice.
“Spezza looked across the room at me and kind of called me out and said ‘Hey Dubes, I scored a Todd Bertuzzi wrap-around on you,’” he said. “It’s kind of a lost art now in hockey, nobody really does wrap-arounds. It was kind of cool for him to call me out like that.”
Dube’s teammates are supportive of this opportunity.
Fourth-year Ravens defenceman Tim Billingsley said he and the rest of the team teased Dube about the practice, but said he’s a good goalie who deserved the opportunity.
“He said he only let in ten shots, but I don’t really think that’s true,” Billingsley said smiling.
Check out the Charlatan‘s one-on-one with Ryan Dube
