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TSN Hockey Analyst

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I first saw Andrew Hammond a few months back with the Ottawa Senators when he got called up for an injured Robin Lehner. 

I saw him as a quiet guy who worked hard in practice, but by all accounts wasn't deemed the 'goalie of the future' for the Senators - at least when I asked around about him. He wasn't used in a game, was soon returned to the minors and was - of for lack of better words, an afterthought when discussing the depth of the organization. 

Then veteran netminder Craig Anderson got injured and I got to watch him work in practice again. He went out on the ice early, stayed until late and kept to himself. He played the role of an unassuming backup and collected a nice NHL paycheck.

Then Lehner was injured again. I had a front row seat to his collision with teammate Clarke MacArthur that forced Hammond into action against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

He finished out the game playing in the third period and after sitting around and not playing a while, he showed some rust. I've definitely been in that position - not playing much, practicing hard and knowing that nothing can replace the experience of actually playing in a game. 

I was skeptical about Hammond's chances of delivering wins, because I really hadn't seen him in a game other than his relief performance. It was going to be an uphill challenge for him to settle in, as the Senators were inconsistent, their playoff hopes were quickly fading and their No. 3 goalie was on deck with their two regulars out. Didn't seem like a recipe for success.

On top of that, the one thing I noticed early about his play was that he was a bit erratic - he was moving to make saves, but not positioned squarely to make that second save. Part of that can be attributed to not playing for a month or more, adjusting to the NHL's speed and strength and everything being the new because there was no experience at this level. 

It's also that key thought process when you first get to the NHL - make the first save. That is what happened early on for Hammond - he was focused on that first save. As a result, the rebounds were a garage sale and he ended up scrambling a lot after the first shot. 

But as he has settled into the pace of the game, the timing of the league and how structured the play was in front of him, Hammond was also to slow his game down. He's been able to get set for shots and this translated to less motto in his game (meaning he is in good position to make that second save). 

On the several occasions I've watched him play live, he's not only been in great position to stop the initial puck, but he's also made it look easy. It's easy because he's been efficient in his movement and has been able to get ahead of the puck with his positioning. 

The longer he goes on this streak, the more I'm inclined to feel like his game has gotten stronger, his skill set has become more refined and this isn't just lightning in a bottle.
 
Hammond's biggest challenge now is to stay focused while Hamburglar mania sweeps the nation's capital. However long it lasts, it's been an amazing run by an unsuspecting character who has won the hearts of fans.