Upon learning that he was being loaned to Team Canada for the world junior championship, Curtis Lazar had slight reservations.

He wasn’t worried about missing out on one of his NHL paycheques, believed to be about $75,000. But he did admit to some concern over losing the job he had worked so hard to attain, his role as the Senators’ fourth- or (depending on your perspective) third-line centre.

The way Jean-Gabriel Pageau is starting to perform as his fill in, Lazar could at least find himself back on the wing when he gets back.

“You always tell players when they’re called up to make our job tough, make it tough for us to send you back to the minors,” coach Dave Cameron said when asked about Pageau after Monday’s 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. “And he’s doing that.

“So is there a job to win? I’d say yes.”

Late in the second period, Pageau was placed between Bobby Ryan and Mike Hoffman on what has been the team’s best line of late. He responded positively within seconds, doing some fine board work to set up Ryan’s second of the night.

All told, he wound up with 15:46 of ice time, during which he had the assist, a plus-1 rating, five shots on goal and tied with Jared Cowen for the team lead in hits, with five. The line’s previous centre, Mika Zibanejad, played just 12:40.

“Actually it was (assistant coach) Mark Reeds that mentioned he thought Pageau had a real jump tonight,” Cameron said.

“We knew that Bobby and Hoff were going well, so it was a logical choice. They scored right off the hop, and they just kept going. So it was a hunch, and I’ve got to give Reeder credit for that one.”

While he has just one assist in five games, Pageau had another strong game on a line with fellow Francophone Alex Chiasson in Montreal.

“I’m just trying to give everything I have,” said Pageau. “Just work hard and keep my game simple. The rest I don’t really control. Who the coach is going to make me play with … I’m just trying to go out there and give everything I have.”

With Chris Neil and Zack Smith on IR and Lazar away, the Senators are carrying no extra forwards.

When everybody returns, they’ll have three, including six natural centres: Kyle Turris, Zibanejad, David Legwand, Smith, Lazar and Pageau.

Legwand can slide to the wing, but if Pageau sticks that still leaves them with one middleman too many. And three extra forwards.

For him to make it tough for Ottawa to send him back down, Pageau needs to build on what he did Monday. Adding a few goals would help, too.

“When you change lines with different players, you’re a little nervous,” he said of getting bumped up to centre the line with Ryan and Hoffman — a spot he should find himself back in Saturday in Boston. “I didn’t know what to expect really. I just kept things simple. Good things happen when you do this. I missed a couple of chances. It’s hard sometimes when it doesn’t go in, but it went in for Bobby. I had an assist. That takes a little pressure off my shoulder.”

Twitter: @sundonib