Ducks over Sens in 4

[CrappieKeith]

I get nothing out of it either way.
I'm bummed cause I'm not getting it on TV.
I love to watch no matter who's playing.
I just wanted to get the fire going unfortunatly I hit a nerve I think.

[Tip-up]

I don't know what to say

Choke



What did the sens eat for breaky this mornin'..Ducks owned them

[CrappieKeith]

Ducks out shot them almost 2-1 .
Down 2 ,that hill is getting pretty high.
I am going to gloat a bit.
I said they were tough,,but what did I know.Had to come to Can to learn how to play hockey .There's a lesson being taught right now.


Anaheim 1, Ottawa 0

Preview - Box Score - Recap - Series Breakdown

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer
May 30, 2007

AP - May 30, 10:33 pm EDT
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Checkmate.

The Anaheim Ducks' defensive stalwarts are hurting the Ottawa Senators on offense, too.

Samuel Pahlsson figured out sharp Senators goalie Ray Emery with 5:44 left in the third period to give the Ducks a 1-0 victory over Ottawa on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup finals.

Pahlsson, a finalist to be the NHL's top defensive forward, joined linemate Travis Moen with game-winning goals in the series. They already mastered the job of shutting down Ottawa's high-flying top line and now are providing the finishing blows against the Eastern Conference champs.

On Saturday, the series will shift to Ottawa for the first time since 1927, and the Senators will have to figure out a way to break out of a scoring funk in the next two games to earn a trip back to Southern California. Teams that won the first two games at home have captured the Cup 29 of 30 times.

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Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 16 shots for his sixth postseason shutout and first this year. He leaped as time ran out and the loud duck call vibrated through a deafening arena.

Emery finished with 30 saves.

After a turnover by Dany Heatley, Pahlsson carried the puck down the right-wing boards, worked around Daniel Alfredsson, and let go a shot past defenseman Joe Corvo who had his back to him. That matched Moen's winning tally that came with 2:51 left Monday night.

After a postseason low of 20 shots in the series opener, the Senators managed less of a punch in Game 2. But what the game lacked in goals, it didn't fall short in exciting, tense play. Whether it was enough to bring viewers to TV sets is another issue. Game 1 on Versus got only a 0.72 cable rating and was seen in 523,000 households in the United States.

Emery was brilliant and had the added bonus of a few quick whistles as he tried to freeze the puck. Senators coach Bryan Murray complained after Game 1 that the Ducks delivered a few extra stick jabs after the whistle and the message was received by referees Bill McCreary and Brad Watson.

Teemu Selanne nearly scored 3 1/2 minutes into the third when he chipped the puck to Emery's right up to the height of the crossbar. The puck fell tantalizingly close to the goal line, but Emery gloved it just in time.

Whether it was panic or progressive thinking, Murray started the game with Alfredsson without his familiar linemates Heatley and Jason Spezza -- a trio that combined for 28 goals and 60 points in Ottawa's first 16 playoff games but had only two assists in the 3-2 loss in the finals opener.


AP - May 30, 10:16 pm EDT
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The group got back together for the Senators' three power plays in the first period and scattered shifts during the opening two frames. But at even strength, the Senators looked little like the team that scored nine times in the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals against Buffalo.

When the Ducks put the pressure on early in the third, they did it at the expense of Ottawa's scoring line that struggled to get the puck out of the zone. Their defense was no sharper than the offense the Senators desperately rely on them to provide. They were also were on the ice for the winning goal for the second straight game.

Of the Senators' seven shots in the first period, five came on the power play and another found its way to Giguere just after an Anaheim penalty expired. Ottawa mustered little more in the second when the sides played 5-on-5 until the final 2 minutes of the period when they traded penalties.

The Ducks sent 12 shots at Emery in the first and 14 more in the second, while holding Ottawa to 11 through 40 minutes.

Emery shook off any rust or nerves that troubled him in the series opener and turned it into confidence that seemed to grow with every dangerous scoring chance the Ducks generated near his crease.

He sprawled on his back, flopped on his stomach and flashed a quick glove to snare shots that whistled toward him. Emery faced additional trouble as the Senators tried to exert a physical style to match the Ducks' hard-hitters.

While the heavy checks landed, Ottawa also adopted another characteristic of the aggressive Ducks -- the penchant for taking undisciplined penalties. Mike Comrie started the trend 2:17 in by sending defenseman Francois Beauchemin into the boards. Anton Volchenkov chipped in with another boarding penalty, when he drove Corey Perry into the glass behind Emery 6 minutes later.

Perry drew another penalty, this time on Mike Fisher. Perry was decked by Fisher near the slot, and was shoved down again once he got to his skates.

Not to be outdone, the Ducks gave the Senators life by getting Ottawa's potent power play on the ice. Charging and slashing calls against Shawn Thornton and Chris Pronger created a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:08 of the first period.

As they did in Game 1 during another two-man advantage, the Ducks kept the Senators at bay.

Giguere was the best penalty killer of the bunch, stopping three straight whacks by Spezza into his pads at the left post. He also frustrated the rest of the Senators with his share of sparkling stops after passes by Spezza.

[Kpin]

I was pretty saddened by the first loss but knew it wasn't going to be a steal and was impressed with the Ducks solid, aggressive and impressive play.

I fell asleep tonight just b4 the game and awoke just in time for the eve news.....boy, am I glad I fell asleep!

Da boys better get it in gear in adjust somehow or...well..nuff said. Thank God Emery was awake or tonights game might have even been quite the embarrassment.

[CrappieKeith]

On the flip side the Sens are playing at home for the next 2 games.
That may make a difference.

[Snakebite]

Yup...they might win one.

I said to the missus (huge SENS fan) going in to the series that the SENS would lose in 6. They'll do well to make that now.

[CrappieKeith]

1 more and it's all over but the crying for the Sens.
The Sens have been out played ,outshot &out hustled.
How they got this far I'll never know,will wonders ever cease. It must have been that easy division they were in.
Hardy har har to those that said I did not know what I was talking about. Gloat ,you bet.

Sure there's 1 more game to be won,but really down 3 games already .
Where's your pot shots now?
Sens are going down in 5.



Anaheim 3, Ottawa 2

Preview - Box Score - Recap - Series Breakdown - Highlights

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer
June 5, 2007

AP - Jun 5, 12:37 am EDT
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OTTAWA (AP) -- The Stanley Cup might've been born in Ottawa, but it's very close to relocating to Southern California.

The Anaheim Ducks are a win away from their first NHL championship.

While a Canadian team hasn't captured the Cup since 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens earned their 23rd, the U.S. sun belt is on the verge of its third straight. Tampa Bay and Carolina bookended the 2004-05 lockout with unexpected titles.

And to think the Ducks got here without star defenseman Chris Pronger, who served his second one-game suspension of these playoffs. Andy McDonald bailed him out with a pair of goals and an assist on Dustin Penner's tiebreaker in the third period, lifting the Ducks, 3-2 over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

"I didn't really watch a whole lot. I had my back to the TV," Pronger said. "When you don't have a say in what's going on out there, it's very tough to watch and nerve-racking, more so than when you're in the game."

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The Ducks will carry a 3-1 advantage back to Anaheim, where they are 7-0 in clinching games, including 3-0 this year. This one became possible because of the Ducks' first road win in the finals in six chances over two series.

[muskymatt]

out

[Spence Scout]

CrappieKeith

Sens werent in an easy division, they beat 3 great teams.. All of who were thought to be able to beat Ottawa. Pittsburgh people were ruling them out before the series started because of Crosby. NJ only the best defensive team in the entire league, BUF was favored to win the cup this year and wasnt first by fluke. Sure Ducks are real god, thats why they lead 3-1 in the series. But to say that therye division was easy or even conference is just absurd. East takes west in cup more often then not! Ducks ahve been to cup before and know what its like to loose what every hockey player lives for! Sure Im a Sens fan and wont rule them out even though a team hasnt come back down 3-1 in a cup final since 1942. But maybe its time to rewrite history, or maybe they need to loose to come back strong like the Ducks have this year.

Sens are a great team, so's Anaheim lets enjoy it

[CrappieKeith]

Hey MuskyMatt,showing your intellegence again I see.
This was a fun post & I had to lighten up for the slams I was getting,maybe you should too.Try fishing someday it helps.

As to the Sens and their division.Sure they had a tough one.
I was just trash talking.C'mon guys this hockey thing is just a game.

If the shoe was on the other foot you'd been able to rub it in ,but it's not
so na na na na hey hey hey goodbye,c'mon everyone nan nan na na hey hey he goodbye.
The Sens are going down or at least the numbers say so,what do I know.
I live in the us & in Mn which certainly has no idea what hockey is about.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Who's getting the last laugh?
I can hear your fat lady singing to you MuskyMatt,oh & if this is getting to much for you I'll send a cryin towel.

GO DUCKS!

[CrappieKeith]

While the Ducks are claiming the trophy tonight in Aneheim I'll be reain thinking if you MuskyMatt,poor lil fellar.

[CrappieKeith]

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Now that the Anaheim Ducks have that elusive road win, they are ready to do what they do best: close things out at home.

Twice the Ducks have reached the Stanley Cup finals and both times they were perfect on home ice and inept in enemy territory. That all changed in Canada's capital city on Monday and set up an NHL-style beach party.

Anaheim leads the Ottawa Senators 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and can capture the Stanley Cup for the first time Wednesday night. The Ducks are 5-0 in the finals at the place formerly known as the Pond and 7-0 there when they have a chance to finish off a series.

"We learned a lot of lessons the last two years," said captain Scott Niedermayer, a three-time Cup champion with New Jersey -- including in 2003 over Anaheim. "All those past situations, we'll be able to go back and those will help."

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Anaheim snapped a five-game road losing streak in the finals by beating the Senators 3-2, and did it without key defenseman Chris Pronger, who served a one-game suspension for elbowing Ottawa's Dean McAmmond in the head during the third period of Game 3.

The Norris Trophy finalist will be back in the lineup Wednesday in what surely will be a raucous arena ready to celebrate.

Both sides are well aware the Cup will be in the building.

"We can't change the way we want to play just because of the implications of the game," Pronger said. "We've got to come out and compete and make sure that this is our best game of the series and hope that's good enough.

"It is another game. You can't worry about everything and the distractions."

Even if the Ducks lose Wednesday, hockey history suggests they're still in good shape to capture the Cup. Only once in 28 chances has a team erased a 3-1 deficit in the finals and skated off with the coveted silver chalice.

The numbers were already working in their favor when they left Anaheim with a 2-0 lead. There is only one team out of 30 that won the first two games at home and blew the series.

Ottawa had plenty to think about Tuesday morning during the team's five-hour flight back to southern California.

"We were upbeat and we have nothing to lose now," Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson said. "We're going to go out there and try to bring it home to Ottawa again for Game 6. There's no question that we believe we can do that."

If they do, they will head home to the birthplace of Lord Stanley's Cup back in 1893. The Senators are 13-6 in the playoffs, winning each of their first three series in five games, while the Ducks are 9-2 at home.

Anaheim beat Minnesota and Vancouver in five, and took out Detroit in six -- finishing each series in front of the home folks.

"We're in this together," top-line Senators forward Jason Spezza said. "We've gotten here together. We've gotten ourselves down 3-1 together, and we can get ourselves out of it. But it has to be together."

If Ottawa manages to win two straight, it would mark the Ducks' first losing streak of the playoffs and force a Game 7 on Monday, again in Anaheim. Edmonton, with Pronger leading the way, erased a 3-1 deficit last year against Carolina in the championship round, only to lose the deciding final game on the road.

He remembers what that was like, and Niedermayer -- the only Ducks player to have won the Cup -- also chipped in with tips on how to keep feelings in check.

"You have to guard against letting your emotions get to you, letting there be distractions," Pronger said. "Scotty has got some great advice for you: worry about the game and don't worry about anything else."

Niedermayer provided a good example of that by not going after Alfredsson when the Senators captain shot a puck at him from center ice just as the second period expired.

He told the Ducks to forget about it. The score was tied and there were more important issues to deal with than retaliation. Anaheim pulled out the victory on Dustin Penner's goal in the third.

"We're trying to keep our focus, whether it's an incident like that, or a penalty call, or we hit the post or they score," he said. "Whatever it is. You just have to treat it as any one of those things that are going to happen and not get off our game because of it."

Niedermayer admitted that the nerves and excitement still exist even when you have won several times. The thoughts creep into your mind in the hours before the game, which of course can disrupt the standard afternoon nap.

"It's still tough. It's still exciting. That's why we play," Niedermayer said. "I wouldn't say it gets easier; maybe a little bit. It's still a challenge and still obviously a lot of fun.

"You have to be ready, you have to play your best. That's really what we have to be prepared to do. It's nice that we've done it up to this point, but that doesn't really do us a lot of good (Wednesday) night."

At least now that they are back on the West Coast, the start time reverts to 5 p.m. PDT to accommodate TV viewers back East -- however few might be watching.

Ottawa's home victory in Game 3 on Saturday night received a 1.1 national rating and a 2 share, NBC said Tuesday. The rating was down 31 percent from last year's Game 3 between Edmonton and Carolina.

[muskymatt]

out

[CrappieKeith]

Ducks 6 -Sens 2 ,what a blowout!
So I was off a game.The Ducks earned that cup all of the way.

[ganman]

I love the crap you always read in AP, USA Today, Yahoo, Sporting News etc etc releases......always starts of with...... "Canadian team has not won a cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadians".

Hate to rain on the parade but the Ducks ARE a Canadian team perhaps more than any other team in the league. Perhaps the Wild would have done better with more Canadian players for that matter the Canucks too.

The Ducks win IS a celebration of Canadian hockey

Oh well.....In a few years the glow of the cup will fade and they'll be back to 13,000 fans in Anaheim and nobody will give a damn. In Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary ..........Hamilton and Winnipeg it'll be a full house as usual and if one of those teams are still alive come May or June the atmosphere will be electric.