Article content continued

“It’s pretty normal now with it being my fourth year in the league,” Stone said after the morning skate.

Stone, who had 14 goals going into this visit, has been pleased with the way he has played this season and coach Guy Boucher couldn’t be happier, either.

“He came back with a vengeance this year and he trained extremely hard,” Boucher said Sunday morning. “What I like is he took the leadership part very, very seriously. To be honest with you, he’s the one guy I don’t think (has) had one bad practice or one bad game where he didn’t show up.

“It’s been very, very impressive. That’s where he is right now. He’s not just a good player, not just a great player, he’s transformed himself into a leader and he does all the small details that are important to the team. He’s leading in all aspects. He solidifies any line and you can play any player with him. He’s definitely grown into a great player and a leader and he’s been a rock since the beginning.”

As Boucher noted, Stone makes anybody he plays with better.

“With Stone it’s less about trying to find somebody for him, it’s the opposite, everybody we put with him will work, but I only have one Stone. I wish I had three, four or five. It’s just a reality that whoever I put Stone with, I know they’re going to produce,” said Boucher.

THE LAST WORDS

Winger Bobby Ryan, who isn’t fully recovered from a broken finger he suffered a month ago, was in the lineup against the Jets. He had to be checked out by doctors after getting slashed by Islanders defenceman Nick Leddy in the third period of Friday’s 6-5 victory, but the good news is nothing is broken. No, Boucher doesn’t believe Ryan’s hands are being targeted, and simply believes this has to be bad luck. “It hurts like hell. That’s clear and it’s vicious, yes,” Boucher said. “I think, in this case, anybody that gets that kind of slash is going to get that kind of reaction. To me, I don’t want to play the doctor and say he’s more prone or whatever. (Ryan) might play the next 10 years and never get anything after that.” … The Senators scratched defenceman Ben Harpur for the second straight game as Boucher opted to go with 12 forwards and six blueliners. He didn’t want to change a winning lineup. … Winnipeg D Tyler Myers suited up for the 500th game of his career Sunday. … Former Senators coach Paul MacLean, who wasn’t brought back in an assistant’s role by the Ducks this season, was in Winnipeg for the weekend. He took part as a guest in the Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcast here Saturday and Sunday.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch