Late-night skate by Senators’ Mark Kastelic was to try to improve

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Mark Kastelic is trying to find answers.

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So as the rest of his teammates were in the gym after a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, the Ottawa Senators centre chose to go for a skate by himself and work on his game.

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The only people left in the building were a few fans, the cleaning staff and a few members of the media.

Kastelic played only four minutes and 46 seconds against the Jackets and didn’t see a shift in the third period. He wasn’t mad when he went back on the ice, he’s just trying to do everything he can to get his game back on track.

I’ve covered the Senators since they came back into the league in 1992-93 and I don’t recall ever seeing a player do that before.

That was indeed the case. It can be taken several different ways depending on where you sit on this sort of thing, but Kastelic just wants to get better and earn the right to play more.

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“The thought process was just trying to find ways to keep my fitness level up and get the touches that a lot of guys that play a lot of minutes get,” Kastelic said following the club’s optional skate Wednesday.

“It’s something where normally after a game like that you get on the bike and try to keep your conditioning, so I think I was just trying to feel the puck a little bit, shoot the puck and try to get a little bit of a sweat going on.

“Just the way the game went, I didn’t see a lot of ice and that’s just the way it goes, but I think I was trying to stay on top of it.”

A fourth-line centre, Kastelic, 24, has averaged 7:11 of ice time this season and many nights he has left people wanting more. At 6-foot-4 and 226 pounds, he has to be physical to be an effective player and if he can chip in with the odd goal, that’s a bonus.

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Nobody played fewer minutes than Kastelic against Columbus and the club already was a man short with only five defencemen. He had only two shifts in the second.

“When a player doesn’t get a lot of ice time, they usually do some extra work in the gym,” interim coach Jacques Martin said. “Instead of going in the gym, he went on the ice to skate, so I don’t think it sends any message.

“I play the people who I think are going to help us win on any given night and last night we had a shorter bench and we found a way to win.”

Kastelic said his decision to skate wasn’t rooted by frustration.

“Not at all. I’m just trying to take care of myself and do the best I can so I can help when the time comes,” Kastelic said. “That’s part of the game, it’s part of being a role player and it’s just a blessing to be in this position.

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“So it’s something that’s not easy sometimes so you’re trying to do what you can to improve. That’s what I was trying to do after the game.”

JAKE SANDERSON SKATES

Jake Sanderson has made another step in the right direction towards his return from an undisclosed lower body injury.

The Senators defenceman was on the ice for the club’s optional skate Wednesday and, though he won’t face the Ducks, there’s a chance he could suit up as early as Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks or Monday during the club’s stop in Tampa.

Sanderson looked strong and didn’t shy away from any of the drills with the players that opted to go for a twirl.

“I’m feeling better every day so hopefully in a couple of days I’ll be ready to go,” Sanderson said. “(Today was) much better. It was nice to have some other guys out there just to pass around with. It can get tough skating by yourself so it was nice to skate with the guys.”

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Sanderson left the club’s victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 1 and hadn’t suited up since. He returned to Calgary for the club’s break in the schedule and got treatment from a physiotherapist there while also consulting with the club’s medical staff here.

He admitted he thought he could be out a lot longer, but has worked with the physio and fitness staff in Ottawa since return to the city.

“I’m pretty good. I thought I was going to be out much longer, but with the helpful hands here I’m kind of speeding up the process, so I feel pretty good,” Sanderson said.

The Senators will have to wait until after the morning skate Thursday to find out who they’ll have on defence. Artem Zub wasn’t on the ice after missing Tuesday’s game, but if he can’t play then the Senators will be allowed to make an emergency recall from Belleville.

“It’s another day to keep (Zub) off the ice and hopefully he’ll be OK tomorrow,” Martin said.

Martin would hope Zub will be able to play, but the Senators likely will recall Maxence Guenette from Belleville if he can’t go.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

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