Most times this season, when Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrew Ference has been by himself the situation has been dire. And by dire I mean absolutely franking hopeless. He's either been the last man back, facing an odd-man rush that resulted from blown defensive coverage or a neutral-zone turnover, or he's been at his stall in the locker room, swarmed by a postgame media horde that demands both answers and accountability after a blowout defeat. Neither situation has been pleasant.
However, Ference was by himself in the most unlikely of places last night. With the score knotted at three, late in the overtime period, Ference picked off a wayward pass at center ice and came charging over the Anaheim Ducks blueline with the puck on his stick. He didn't even glance at David Perron to his left, just put his head down and fired off a game-ending blast that sent the dejected Ducks to the showers and Oiler fans home happy. For one night, the captain was able to savor the hero's spotlight.
You could argue that Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens was the night's true hero, turning away 48 shots as he endured the Ducks' onslaught, but Ference has been forced to endure a season-long onslaught, and he's handled it better than most. Just look at how Toronto Maple Leafs' captain Dion Phaneuf has wilted this week for evidence of that. After all the nights of frustration and futility, of dejected sighs and shrugging shoulders, it was nice to see Ference celebrate a hard-fought victory.
You see, there's an inordinate amount blame and burden placed on NHL captains these days, and Ference has taken more than his fair share of accountability for the Edmonton Oilers' current plight. Plus, he hasn't exactly been warmly embraced by a fanbase that saw him as being part of the cavalry that was going to help change the team's fortune. Ference is no game-changer or world-beater, but his veteran presence on the blueline and Cup-winning experience was expected to help the team inch closer to the playoffs.
Even when Ference was named the captain, the news was welcomed with "sure, I suppose" rather than "hallelujah." Unlike previous Edmonton captains like Doug Weight, Jason Smith or Ethan Moreau, the Oiler fans hadn't bled or toiled with Ference. They hadn't seen his progression from wide-eyed youngster to battle-tested veteran up close and personal. We knew that he had been a cog in the Boston Bruins' defensive machine and his VO2 Max testing was off the charts, but that knowledge didn't exactly inspire a world of confidence.
Even now, many Oiler fans see Ference as a bridge captain who's simply filling in until either Taylor Hall or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is ready to assume the role. While that mindset is understandable, it's also unfair to Ference, who's had to bear an incredible burden this season. It's obviously disheartening for the fanbase when the cavalry arrives in town and immediately gets massacred, but it's hard to lay much blame at the captain's feet. He's done the best he can this season under very difficult circumstances.
That's why it was nice to see the captain enjoy his finest moment of the season, and gave us a chance to tip our caps to a guy who's been largely underappreciated. It's easy to dismiss his efforts when you look at the league standings, but he's been there every step of the way, stepping into the firing line and answering more difficult questions than any other player on the roster. There are eight games remaining in this lost season, and there might not be many moments left to celebrate, but Ference provided one last night. Here's to you, captain.
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