EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Marian Hossa finally got some personal revenge Wednesday night, and, as a result, the Ottawa Senators now have a chance to get the ultimate revenge. Hossa, the target of clean, but physical play from the New Jersey Devils throughout the series, used his fearsome speed to set up the game-winning goal -- 15:51 into overtime -- as the Ottawa Senators escaped with a 2-1 victory and extended the Eastern Conference Finals to a winner-take-all Game 7 in Ottawa Friday night. Hossa's speed to the outside flummoxed New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens, Hossa's main tormentor throughout this series, and allowed Hossa to throw a dangerous puck into the slot. Vaclav Varada had two whacks at the puck, denied by goalie Martin Brodeur each time, before defenseman Chris Phillips swooped in and slammed home the puck to set off a wild celebration.
"I wasn't there right away, but the puck got thrown to the front of the net and it was just sitting there for a while and I was just able to get in there and get a whack at it." - Chris Phillips
Hossa's speed to the outside flummoxed New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens, Hossa's main tormentor throughout this series, and allowed Hossa to throw a dangerous puck into the slot. Vaclav Varada had two whacks at the puck, denied by goalie Martin Brodeur each time, before defenseman Chris Phillips swooped in and slammed home the puck to set off a wild celebration. "It was a 2-on-2 and Hossa had some great speed going to the outside," explained Phillips, who notched his second goal of the Playoffs. "Everything just kind of opened up for me. I wasn't there right away, but the puck got thrown to the front of the net and it was just sitting there for a while and I was just able to get in there and get a whack at it. I didn't even realize it went in until the other guys started celebrating." Although nothing is decided in this series, Ottawa had a lot to celebrate Wednesday night. With the win, the first by an opponent in nine Playoff games at Continental Airlines Arena, Ottawa pulled itself out of a three-games-to-one hole and has all the momentum heading into Friday's Game 7. The winner of that contest earns the right to face the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the Stanley Cup Finals. That series will begin Tuesday night in either New Jersey or Ottawa. "We're obviously very happy to be in the situation we're in," said Phillips. "We have been in two elimination games, being down three [games] to one. We're going home for Game 7 and, you, know, that is exactly what we set out to do a few days ago. Ottawa won Monday's Game 5, 3-1, after losing the previous three games to the resurgent New Jersey Devils. Now, it is the Devils who must regroup and pull themselves off the mat. Three years ago, the Devils escaped a three-games-to-one predicament against the Philadelphia Flyers in these same Eastern Conference Finals, so they know just what kind of high the Senators are riding as they go back home for Game 7.
Marian Hossa used his fearsome speed to set up the game-winning goal -- 15:51 into overtime.
It's just one of those nights," said Devils center John Madden, on the ice for both Ottawa goals. "What can you do? It's a good-news, bad-news [situation]. Maybe the good news is we still have another chance at it. We're a good hockey club with our backs against the wall. I'm sorry to say it, but sometimes that's what it takes." New Jersey showed that trait in Wednesday's Game 6. After falling behind 1-0 on Radek Bonk's power-play goal with just 2:11 remaining in the second period, the Devils marshaled their resources and began taking the play to the Ottawa Senators. Their dogged determination paid off when Joe Nieuwendyk banged home a Jeff Friesen rebound just 2:41 into the third period. That goal also came on the power play. Pressing for the winning goal, and end to the series, New Jersey was stymied by Ottawa goalie Patrick Lalime, especially in the overtime. The Devils carried the play for long portions of the extra session, forcing eight shots on Lalime. Two of those chances came on perfectly executed 2-on-1 breaks by the Devils, but each time the unflappable Lalime had the answer. "At this time of the year, your goaltender needs to be one of your best players," said defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn. And, obviously Patrick has been for us." Lalime, who was strafed for 10 goals in the three losses, including five in an ugly Game 4 loss last week, has allowed just two goals in the last two games, stretching 135 minutes and 51 seconds.
Patrick Lalime has allowed just two goals in the last two games, stretching 135 minutes and 51 seconds.
Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson agreed, arguing that Lalime's performance in the extra session was the springboard for the heroics of Hossa and Phillips. "They got probably two or three odd-man rushes in overtime," said Alfredsson. "We wanted to press and get that early goal there and it kind of backfired. We weren't giving up any odd-man rushes all game long , then in overtime it was just a wide-open game. "Patrick made some key saves for us on Gionta and Elias one time, but after that I thought we composed ourselves and we were able to create some good chances for ourselves." None better than the one created by Hossa and finished by Phillips. "A perfect goal," said Alfredsson. So perfect, in fact, it gets the Ottawa Senators to a Game 7 Friday night that they had trouble imaging they would see just four short days ago. "It's a great feeling," Bonk said of the comeback. But, we still have to play one more game and that is going to be the hardest one."
------------------------------------------- *Still proud to be a Red Wings Fan* The famous "W" is still in Detroit Red Wings The infamous "W" is in George W. Bush
jippii die sens sind geil jetzt kann ich das komplette finale und evt. auch das 7.Spiel auf Premiere sehen,Geil!!!! Lets go Sens Lets go!!!! Lalime lässt sich net unter kriegen!!! ---------------------------------- Gordon Ian Gordon....*sing*
Gordon ist Torwartgott!!!!
Joseph,Roy,Kölzig,Giguere die Elite der Eishockeygoalies
Da mich mit Schweden das Eine oder Andere verbindet, habe ich diesen Herren auch schon mal so ein bissi ins Auge gefasst und er ist ja wohl auch so etwas wie ein Senators-Urgestein, also wenn man das bei den Senators überhaupt schon sagen kann!!!!
Lieben Gruß
Jürgen
P.S. Und Mats by the way, wann findet denn eigentlich mal dein Debuet in Sachen FGOTH statt!!!???
Yashin is sicherlich gerade sehr günstig zu kriegen
"Eishockey ist doch ganz einfach, man muss sich nur den Puck schnappen und ins Tor schießen." (Brian Sutter, Head-Coach und Ex-Spieler der Chicago Blackhawks) UruguayischePampabauern
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Vielleicht wirds ja besser!?
