Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers – Game 6
It’s been a decade, but the Ottawa Senators are back in the Eastern Conference Final coming off a 4-2 victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Erik Karlsson had the game winning goal and Craig Anderson made 37 saves on 39 shots faced in the win for a .949 save percentage, while Henrik Lundqvist racked up 22 saves on 25 shots against for an .880 SV% in the loss.
Ottawa defeated New York in six games and will face the winner of Wednesday night’s Game 7 action between the President’s Trophy winning Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the next round.
Mike Hoffman (4) kicked things off with the game’s first goal under five minutes into the 1st period. Hoffman tipped in a shot from the point and completely changed the direction of the puck past a stunned Lundqvist on the glove side. Karlsson (11) and Clarke MacArthur (3) had the assists on Hoffman’s goal.
The Senators made it a two-goal lead at 14:44 of the 1st period on a wrist shot goal from Mark Stone (4). In keeping with the night’s trend, Stone’s twine seeking missle found the back of the net past Lundqvist’s glove side. MacArthur (4) and Chris Wideman (3) were credited with the primary and secondary assists on Stone’s goal.
After trailing 2-0 in the 1st period, New York was eager to respond in the 2nd period and get on the scoreboard.
Former Senator – turned Ranger as a result of this offseason’s one-for-one trade for Derick Brassard— Mika Zibanejad (2) scored on a breakaway that was set up by Mats Zuccarello (3), with the other assist going to Nick Holden (2) at 13:32 of the 2nd period. Zibanejad made it a one-goal game as the Rangers now trailed, 2-1 with less than seven minutes to go in the second frame.
It would not remain a one-goal game for long, however, as the Senators were quick to respond on a rush after both teams swapped chances at each end of the ice. Bobby Ryan skated in towards the left side of the goal before dropping a no-look backhand pass to Erik Karlsson (2) who pocketed his 2nd goal of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the short side of Lundqvist. Ryan (5) and Anderson (1) had the assists on the goal that made it, 3-1 Ottawa.
Just 53 seconds into the 3rd period Chris Kreider (3) made it a one-goal game once again with Zibanejad (7) and Brendan Smith (4) collecting the helpers. It wouldn’t be until 19 minutes later in the final period of regulation until the scoreboard would read something other than 3-2.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau (7)– undeniably the star of the series, aside from Karlsson’s Conn Smythe worthy postseason run so far– fired home the empty net goal at 19:53 of the 3rd period, sealing a 4-2 win for Ottawa in both Game 6 and in the series. Stone (2) had the lone assist on the goal.
The Senators advanced to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2007 (the same year they made their one and only Stanley Cup Final appearance). Tuesday night’s victory also marked the third time in franchise history (2003, 2007) that the Sens have made the third round of the postseason.
This will be Ottawa head coach, Guy Boucher’s first Eastern Conference Final appearance since his days as the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach in a thrilling seven game series in 2011 against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins that postseason. Boucher is looking to redeem his one-win-away from a trip to the Stanley Cup Final coupon, pending an opponent that is to be determined.
Pittsburgh visits Washington on Wednesday night for a Game 7 matchup to determine who will face the Senators in the 2017 Eastern Conference Final. The winner of the Pittsburgh-Washington series will have home ice in the next round of the playoffs.
Wednesday night is chock full of Game 7 action for your viewing pleasure with Pittsburgh at Washington beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET and Edmonton at Anaheim at 10:00 p.m. ET. Both games can be viewed on NBCSN throughout the United States and on TVAS in Canada. Additionally, CBC will broadcast the Penguins-Capitals game while SN takes over for Oilers-Ducks.
On a positive note (if you’re not emotional right now, sorry, Rangers fans), NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced during the 1st intermission that the 10th edition of the league’s Winter Classic will feature the Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field on January 1, 2018.
