By Sheri Monk

The call came late at night, after the Ottawa Senator’s 5-2 loss to the Capitals in Washington Jan. 7, which saw the team’s leading goal scorer, Milan Michalek injured and out with a possible concussion. By 11:30 p.m. that same night, Maple Creek’s Zack Smith was loaded into a limo from his New York home, headed to Ottawa. He had been called up, for the second time in his promising career.
Last year, he played one NHL game, after being called up from the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators out of New York. The center’s debut on Nov. 29, 2008 during a 4-2 loss against the Islanders gave him seven minutes and one second of NHL ice time.
Just over a year later, it was just as exciting to be called upon again.
“It’s been really good. I mean it was pretty exciting to get called up,” said Smith in an interview with The Badger.
Like many other young hockey players, Smith took the long road to Ottawa – this time, quite literally.
It was late when Smith was picked up for the 4.5 hour ride to Ottawa to join the Senators.
“I jumped in the limo and fell asleep right away and woke up at about 7 a.m. and knew we were supposed to be in Ottawa then,” said Smith.
The limo driver, obviously American and even more obviously, not a hockey fan, had mixed up Smith’s destination.
“He thought I was going to Toronto,” laughed Smith.
On top of the mix-up, they ran into bad weather and the trip took almost 12 hours. Smith initially thought he was late.
“But they cancelled practise to get the guys some rest – I ended up getting here at like 11 a.m.,” he said.
His second NHL game was against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 9 and Smith was placed on the fourth line for the 3-0 loss on home ice. Before his first NHL appearance in 2008, Smith would later say he was so nervous, he felt like throwing up. At his second game, he said he was even more nervous.
“Last year, it was just kinda feeling it out and I think (now) I was probably more nervous. I think there’s a little more pressure this year.”
Despite his jitters, Smith performed well and experienced another first – his debut NHL fight. Smith’s target? Bryan Allen.
“He’s a pretty big guy and it’s pretty exciting to fight in front of a home crowd in Ottawa too,” said 6’2”, 210 lb Smith. “I was pretty nervous, but the adrenaline helped.”
The Senators are struggling and lost two more players to injuries during the Jan. 9 game against the Panthers, in addition to Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Michalek currently off the ice, mending wounds.
“We’ve been plagued with injuries. But it’s been a good opportunity. I’ve had a decent amount of minutes for the fourth line and I think they’re happy so far. I think I’ve been playing pretty good,” Smith said.
Certainly happy are Smith’s parents, Colleen Dean and Dean Smith. Friends and family gathered together to watch the hockey player’s dream come to life in HD on their television.
“We’re very excited,” said Smith’s proud mom the day after he was called up.
On Jan. 10, the Senators played their first game of a five-game road trip and lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1.
Smith hopes to play in the next four games of the road trip, but says it’s really a day-to-day thing and Alfredsson may be returning to the ice for the Sens next game tonight in Atlanta against the Thrashers. On Thursday, they meet the Rangers, on Saturday they return to Canada to battle against Montreal and on Monday, they wrap up the road trip against the Bruins.
If allowed the opportunity to continue to play, Smith says his role will be to check and wear down the other team. Now, with defenceman Filip Kuba and right-winger Jesse Winchester out, Smith is going to be looked to for penalty killing.
Smith is just happy to be there and says his skating and his defensive presence – a trait he was well-known for as captain of the Swift Current Broncos – has continued to improve.
With the Binghamton Sens this year, Smith has six goals, 10 assists and 72 penalty minutes accumulated from playing in each of the team’s 34 games this season.
“It’s been a slower start for me offensively this year, but I’m in more of a checking role, playing on the third line and it’s been going good and I’m still improving,” he said.
While being in his second pro season may mean more pressure on the ice, hometown support helps carry him through.
“It’s pretty cool that I get a lot of support from friends and family in and around Maple Creek.”