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Once was enough to make Chris Phillips see straight.
The Senators defenceman admitted Wednesday he had a hard time watching the replays of New York Rangers defenceman Marc Staal accidentally taking a deflected puck near the eye Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Accidentally hit in the right eye by a puck off the stick of then-Edmonton Oilers defenceman Dan McGillis on Feb. 26, 1998, Phillips, 34, hasn't played a game without a visor since. That night proved to be the only wakeup call he needed.
A rookie at the time, Phillips took nine stitches behind his eye that night in Edmonton and was lucky the damage wasn't worse.
"Once was enough and that was a pretty good one," said Phillips, who had worn a visor in junior and took it off "because I could. I had made it to the NHL. In hindsight, I didn't need to do that.
"It was pretty scary at that time. I remember it like it was yesterday. I couldn't see anything out of my eye. I asked the doctor if I was going to be able to play again (and) he basically couldn't answer me."
Phillips admitted to the Sun he had a hard time watching replays of the Staal incident especially because his late father Garth was legally blind. Phillips appreciates how precious it is to have good eyesight.
"Since my injury, I have a hard time with eyes. It's actually caught up with me now. I wear glasses and contacts because of that injury," said Phillips, who needs eyewear because he lost some vision as a result of the injury.
Phillips said the league can make visors mandatory.
"My own opinion would be to grandfather it for the guys who have had it -- and worn it. They can continue," said Phillips. "For the guys coming up, they would know no difference because they have to wear a visor in junior.
"That would be the easiest way without disrupting what guys are doing now or the guys who don't wear it now.
THIS N' THAT
Post-game interviews with the Senators riding the bikes in the weight room at Scotiabank Place are gone, but they haven't been forgotten. At the 2013 Tim Hortons Brier, Brad Gushue's Newfoundland rink did a parody video of an Ottawa post-game interview with his team riding the bikes in Edmonton. The video ends with a player chewing on a donut, of course, and criticizing Gushue. The video was posted on Twitter Wednesday and is funny ... The Leafs hoped to have RW Matt Frattin back from a knee injury vs. Ottawa, but he told coach Randy Carlyle he wasn't ready. "The player has indicated to us that he doesn't feel 110%," said Carlyle. Apparently, Frattin doesn't feel 100% either. "It's still not ready," said Frattin ... Tough times for the Senators: Even GM Bryan Murray couldn't get out of the rink without a bruise. He tripped on a stair heading for an interview. However, he is fine.
OFF THE GLASS
Captain Daniel Alfredsson said after losing so many bodies with ailments, the club has tried to have an "us-against-the-world" attitude. "We know we have a lot of injuries but there's no excuses," said Alfredsson. "We've got to do what we can with the guys who are playing. It's been a lot of fun to be part of this locker room and just trying to prove everybody wrong and see how far we can push ourselves." ... Senators centre Jason Spezza was here to see doctor that performed his back surgery and could return to the lineup in the next two to three weeks. He will be able to ramp up his on-ice work. If he's back in three weeks, that would be exactly two months after the surgery.
AROUND THE BOARDS
G Ben Bishop was lucky to escape the first period without getting injured. He got taken down accidentally by C Zack Smith and then had to get across the crease to make a save with five minutes left. As a result of playing 30 minutes Wednesday, Bishop will lose his right to become a UFA this summer. Instead, he'll be a restricted free agent, which means Ottawa retains his rights ... It was a little surprising with the Senators having trouble scoring goals that C Jim O'Brien, who led all forwards with five going into the game, was a healthy scratch vs. the Leafs. No, you wouldn't have said that about O'Brien a year ago. Not a chance ... Toronto's James van Riemsdyk likes the Battle of Ontario, but it's not quite the same as Battle of Pennsylvania between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. "It's a little bit similar to that Pitt-Philly type rivalry, but I'd say probably one of the best in all sports right now," said van Riemsdyk. "If you've seen how crazy the games are with back and forth, lots of goals and lots of fights. You can tell this has that type of rivalry in it. Those are games we enjoy playing."
bruce.garrioch@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @sungarrioch
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