"Awesome," MacArthur said. "Just a great feeling. You knew everyone wanted me to get one, too, it felt like. That's what it felt like. The whole city has been having to listen to me over the last couple years, trying to make comebacks and what not and you get that ovation, it was just ….
"Probably the best moment I have in hockey."
And not just for him.
Dion Phaneuf has known MacArthur for years, going back to their junior hockey days, and before that growing up in Alberta. They have been opponents and teammates, becoming close friends along the way. That was why it meant so much to Phaneuf to watch what happened, a goal by MacArthur that nearly overshadowed his overtime winner, which Phaneuf said was the biggest of his career.
The goal gave the Senators a 4-3 win and evened their Eastern Conference First Round series 1-1. Game 3 is at TD Garden in Boston on Monday (7 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVA Sports, NESN).
"You can't say enough about Clarke, the way that he continued to push to come back for our team and what he went through," Phaneuf said. "Being a close friend of his, seeing him go through what he went through, the whole city, the whole building, everyone is behind him and there's a reason for that.
"He's a huge part of our team and just the commitment to come back and do everything in his power to help our team, just incredible."
For MacArthur it felt like forever, every one of those days stretching into the next, without hockey, without goals, without the promise of either of those voids being filled. They were filled Saturday, when teammates surrounded him and cheers rained down, when something that once seemed like it would never again happen, happened.
"It was very special," Boucher said. "One of the most special moments I've lived as a coach because it's everybody in the rink, the players, the organization, celebrating something that must have been very, very tough to live all year."
MacArthur had been patient. He had waited all season, had gone through the recovery, had spent the time practicing and hoping and believing, even in the face of his chances growing dim.
That was what allowed him to be on the ice Saturday, to receive the pass from Ryan, to send it past Rask. That was what allowed him to raise his head and his arms, to score the first goal of Gus' two years, something that he will never, ever forget, even if Gus might not remember.
"Definitely never going to take my last goal for granted," MacArthur said. "That's for sure."