OTTAWA — Ryan Dzingel is happy to do the digging on the Ottawa Senators' top line, but he is showing he has the skill to stay at the top of the depth chart.
Dzingel is making the most of his opportunity playing with talented Ottawa forwards Mark Stone and Derick Brassard. He has four goals in his last three games and is one shy of tying his career high of 14, set last season.
"I think I'm just a little bit more confident than I was this year," the left-winger said. "I'm getting more opportunity now, more trust from coach and playing with some really talented players. I knew what I had to work on and I know what I still need to work on. I'm just trying to keep learning."
Stone said he has an new appreciation for how good Dzingel is after having the chance to play alongside him.
"He's embraced kind of being our guy to be doing a little bit of the dirty work," said Stone, who has three goals and five assists in his last five games. "When you play with him you start to appreciate his speed a little bit more than when you're sitting on the bench and every time I get that puck I'm looking for him to stretch the zone and it just opens up everything.
"Their 'D' have a bad gap because of him and if you look at his goals they're all within five, ten feet of the net. Those are the goals you dream about and those are the types of goals that get you goals in this league."
Dzingel says playing with linemates as talented as Stone and Brassard make it easy for him to want to do whatever it takes to keep the trio together.
"When you're playing with those two and the talent they have why wouldn't you want to do the dirty work for them," Dzingel said. "They do as much dirty work as I do.
"I'm having a lot of fun playing with these guys and want to help them succeed and help our team succeed."
During the 2015-16 season Dzingel, a seventh-round pick, was recalled in early February and finished the season with the Senators where he had three goals and nine points through 30 games.
Last year Dzingel immediately impressed new head coach Guy Boucher with a strong performance in training camp and was given opportunities to gain experience. He played in all but one game, finishing the season with 14 goals and 32 points.
Boucher continues to enjoy watching the winger's development and says he's been on the right path since the start of the season.
"Dzingel's progression has been since the beginning of the year and that's why right now he's getting the results he's getting," said Boucher. "People are looking at offensive results, but I'm looking at the big picture of everything."
Boucher praised the 25-year-old's responsible defensive play, his ability to play against top players, as well as his willingness to go to the net and using his speed more effectively.
"Offensively I really like the fact that he's drastically diminished his turnovers and it makes him a much more reliable player and as he continues to grow this way hopefully becomes a real solid, consistent two-way guy that we can play in our top two lines and that's the goal with him," Boucher said. "I've always liked him, I've never hid it. Last year at training camp I was a big fan and I just saw a very high ceiling there and we're trying to take strides to go towards that ceiling."
Following its two victories over San Jose and Tampa, the Senators (14-17-9) finally felt like they were gaining some traction, but could be without a number of players Tuesday when they host the Chicago Blackhawks (20-15-6).
Brassard, Cody Ceci and Johnny Oduya missed practice Monday due to injury and their status remains unclear. Matt Duchene was also absent due to illness and will likely be a game-time decision. Mark Borowiecki, who missed the last 21 games due to a concussion, has made significant progress, but remains questionable.
"As far as I know right now it might be a game-time decision and I might even take warm-ups and then based on how I'm feeling and talking to the doctors and the trainers and kind of go from there," said Borowiecki. "I'm feeling good and felt good in practice today and feel like I'm ready to play so hopefully we can get that final ok."
Craig Anderson will get the start.
Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press