BINGHAMTON -- The man on the left wing needs no introduction, and the man in the middle just put together one heck of a hello.
But how about the other third of the Binghamton Senators' new top line?
He is an undrafted right wing who put up 38 and 40 goals in the major junior-level Western Hockey League, and he is one of six current B-Sens hailing from Saskatchewan.
He spent the past two seasons in Finland, then marked Ottawa's first offseason acquisition when he signed a one-year, two-way deal June 2. He'll be facing a former team Friday night, and his debut last weekend was nothing to sneeze at.
He is 5-foot-10, 190-pound Ryan Keller.
"I think Keller brings another intangible," B-Sens coach Don Nachbaur said Tuesday, when asked what made the 25-year-old forward a good fit alongside left wing Denis Hamel and center Martin St. Pierre.
"He's got a quick release. He's good around the net. Marty's a natural passer. Hammer's another guy that can put the puck in the net. So it gives a guy like Marty two elements to pass to, and not just one. They had an excellent first game; very dynamic line that can put the puck in the back of the net. And they proved that in the first night."
Boy, did they ever.
St. Pierre put up three goals and one assist, and Keller added one of each Saturday night as the B-Sens opened their season with a 5-3 win over visiting Hartford at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. Hamel, the team's captain and franchise's all-time leading scorer, chipped in an assist.
"So far, so good, I guess," Keller said. "It's just one game, so it's nothing to get too crazy about yet. Obviously, there's a lot of work left. But it's exciting to play with two players that see the ice so well, and just are so gifted offensively. It's a lot of fun."
Keller set up Binghamton's first goal of the season 6 minutes, 17 seconds into the opening period by stealing the puck along the right-wing boards, just inside the Hartford blue line. He then swung a pass to a wide-open St. Pierre in front of the Wolf Pack goal.
One period later, St. Pierre returned the favor, dishing to Keller on a 3-on-1 break. Keller then buried his first goal to put Binghamton ahead, 3-0.
"He's got great speed, and he's a right shot, compared to me and Hammer being left shots," St. Pierre said. "But he can put the puck in the net too, and take the body. So I think we definitely have a great combination, and obviously for our second, third and fourth line, I think we definitely found some chemistry there too. So, it's definitely good depth."
Now a fifth-year pro, Keller spent the majority of his rookie season in 2005-06 with the United Hockey League's Muskegon Fury, earning all-rookie honors with the league.
He also saw 10 games in the AHL with Grand Rapids that first year, before starting his second season as a full-time member of the Griffins. Then in late February, after logging 38 games with Grand Rapids, he was dealt to Syracuse in a trade for forward Ben Simon.
In a combined 60 games with the Griffins and Crunch -- his first and only full season in the AHL so far -- he totaled 14 goals and 17 assists.
This Friday will mark his first meeting with the Crunch since that spring of 2007, but asked Tuesday if the matchup carried any special meaning, he said: "No, not really. I wasn't there long, and there's maybe two or three guys that are still there from when I was there. It's two years ago, so it's nothing. It's just another game, really."
Indeed, after wrapping up the 2006-07 season with Syracuse, Keller headed off to Finland for two seasons, reestablishing himself as a point-per-game forward. He surpassed the 20-goal mark both years, despite playing just 47 and 54 games.
Now, he's back.
Back in the AHL. Back chasing the chance he feels he never fully found before
"Basically, I'm still young, so I figured just try and give North America another try," he said. "And my first two years in the American league, wasn't given much of an opportunity, so it was kind of something that always ate at me. (I wanted) to actually play somewhere where I was going to be given a chance, and actually see what I can do -- if I can put up numbers or anything like that.
"So it was a situation where they were kind of changing the team around a little bit (in Ottawa), and there were openings up front. So I jumped at the chance to come to somewhere that needed offense and was going to be given a chance."
One game into this new season, it appears he's earned a golden one.
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Keller proves a good fit for B-Sens' top line | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin
Today the B-Sens had an annual charity golf tournament..Ryan Keller was interviewed towards the end, after last Sat night's win over Hartford..
B-Sens Hit The Links | WBNG-TV Binghamton, NY | B-Sens
Keller proves a good fit for B-Sens' top line
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