The odds are still that the Senators will make the playoffs, but they, and the teams chasing them, are making the race interesting.
So maybe it’s wise, as coach Paul MacLean says every day, not to book passage to the playoffs until the 82nd game has been played.
Certainly the players have no illusion about the battle that’s in front of them in their last seven regular-season games.
“We all know the situation,” said Daniel Alfredsson.
“We’ve kind of been in this race for the whole year. We know we can’t sit back and just go through the motions in the last part of the season.
“But it’s fun time of the year. Every game is important, every play is important.
“We’re in a good position and hopefully we can make the most of it.”
Spezza said the jockeying for playoff position is only going to get fiercer.
“We’ve never felt comfortable with where we stand, and I don’t think it will be that way until we finish 82 and see where the dust settles,” he said.
“For us right now it just picking up two points, whether it’s 1-0 or 0-0 and goes to a shootout. It’s just about getting two points. It’s our No. 1 priority.
“There are no free nights, no free points, and three-point games make it a lot harder to climb or make up any ground.”