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Ottawa Senators fans have Andrew Hammond to thank for the free hamburgers and for throwing out the life preserver to salvage what appeared to be a lost season.

Yet while Hammond is certainly the poster boy for the club’s 9-1-2 streak to within striking distance of the Boston Bruins, there is more to the story, too.

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From the resurgence of Erik Karlsson to balanced scoring to composure following early deficits, there’s a team element involved that goes well beyond the guy with the goofy Hamburglar character on his mask.

What follows is a Top Five list, full of fun stats to impress your friends, about what has suddenly gone so right, and about why there’s reason for optimism (and perhaps alarm) as the Senators attempt to pull off one of the greatest rallies towards the playoffs in NHL history.

5 – THE BENEFITS OF BALANCED SCORING:

When you glance at the offensive production in the first half of the Senators season, what stands out is that nobody took charge and that there were extended droughts among those expected to deliver consistent numbers in the absence of former captain Jason Spezza.