Round 3: Ottawa vs Buffalo

[Madferret]

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Buffalo Sabres
Regular Season Record: 53-22-7, 113 pts
Head-to-Head Record: 3-5
Last Stanley Cup Win: -
Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance: 1999
Last Postseason Appearance: 2006
Players with Stanley Cup Rings: Chris Drury.

Team Analysis: After a relatively easy series against the New York Islanders in Round 1, the Sabres faced a much tougher opponent in the Rangers. Five of their six games were decided by one goal, thanks in large part by Ryan Miller's near-perfect performance in net. He allowed two goals or less in four of those second-round games. The defence continues to put up points on the scoreboard (eight points in Round 2), but their strength is still playing a good positional game and shutting down the opposition in their own zone. The offence from the defence adds that much more firepower to a balanced corps of Buffalo forwards. The scoring was spread out quite evenly in the second round between Daniel Briere, Chris Drury, Thomas Vanek and Maxim Afinogenov, while Tim Connolly has quietly been racking up assists and re-emerging as a solid playmaker. The only concern from the Sabres in terms of offence has been their power play, which was working at only 14 percent (5/35). But don't let the numbers fool you, as this team has all the tools and skills to run well with the man-advantage. Case in point: their four-on-four in the third period of Game 6 alone had all the passing and puck control you would expect from a power play. They can also roll out all four lines and leave your head spinning on even strength.

Ottawa Senators
Regular Season Record: 48-25-9, 105 pts
Head-to-Head Record: 5-3
Last Stanley Cup Win: -
Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance: -
Last Postseason Appearance: 2006
Players with Stanley Cup Rings: Martin Gerber.

Team Analysis: After a decade of underachieving in the postseason, the Senators appear to be controlling their destiny quite well in the 2007 playoffs. The key to their success thus far is simple enough - their best players are playing like their best players. The line of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza has been nothing short of spectacular, scoring eight of Ottawa's 12 goals in their second-round series against the New Jersey Devils. While the supporting cast of Mike Fisher, Peter Schaefer and Mike Comrie didn't provide much secondary scoring, they improved their two-way play as the second round progressed. Antoine Vermette and Chris Neil also adapted quickly, gradually slowing down the line of Zajac, Parise and Langenbrunner. Ottawa's forwards can pretty much adapt to any style of play. If you want to beat them on skill, they have the talent on paper to match you. If you want to buckle down on defence, they will crash and bang and create traffic in front of the goal. On defence, the tandem of Anton Volchenkov and Chris Phillips didn't look very effective in Game 1 in New Jersey (a combined minus-6), but settled down well for the rest of the series. A real difference maker in Round 2 was blueliner Tom Preissing, who scored a crucial goal in Game 3 that pulled the Senators ahead for good in the series. Another big factor has been in net. With a 153-minute shutout streak carried through the series, Ray Emery outdueled the one of the league's elite netminders in Martin Brodeur and could be on his way to joining that special status on his own.

Statistical keys to the series

- Buffalo ranked 17th in the league on the power play, with a 17.4% success rate. Ottawa ranked 14th at 17.9%. Ottawa leads the playoffs with a 22.7% power play success rate. Buffalo ranks 8th at 15.2%.

- Buffalo ranked 20th in the league in penalty killing, with a 81.4% success rate. Ottawa ranked ninth at 84.5%. Ottawa's penalty killing in the playoffs is ranked 7th at 86.0%. Buffalo ranks 12th at 79.6%.

- Toni Lydman <138>, Dainius Zubrus (113) and Paul Gaustad (105) were the Sabres' leading hitters in the regular season. Zubrus' totals included games with the Capitals. In the playoffs, Dainius Zubrus (42), Ales Kotalik (37) and Toni Lydman (26) are the Sabres' leading hitters.

- Chris Neil <288>, Anton Volchenkov (205) and Mike Fisher (195) were the Senators' leading hitters in the regular season. In the playoffs, Mike Fisher (31), Chris Neil (31) and Chris Phillips (29) are the Senators' leading hitters.

- Chris Drury was the Sabres' top face-off man in the regular season at 58.8%. Daniel Briere leads in the playoffs at 55.6%.

- Antoine Vermette and Jason Spezza were the Senators' top face-off men in the regular season at 53.0%. Vermette leads in the playoffs at 59.8%.

- Buffalo's Thomas Vanek led the league with a plus-47 in the regular season. Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson and Tom Preissing ranked second and third in the league, with a plus-42 and plus-40, respectively.

- Ottawa's Chris Neil ranked third in the league with 177 penalty minutes during the regular season.

- Ottawa's Dany Heatley ranked second in the league with 50 goals in the regular season.

- Ottawa's Dany Heatley tied for the league lead with 10 game-winning goals in the regular season.

- Ottawa's Anton Volchenkov led the league with 273 blocked shots. Volchenkov leads the playoffs with 39 blocked shots. Buffalo's Toni Lydman ranks second with 37.

- Ottawa's Jason Spezza ranked second in the league with a 21.0% shooting percentage in the regular season.

- Thomas Vanek led the Sabres with seven points in eight games against the Senators this year.

- Dany Heatley led the Senators with 18 points in eight games against the Sabres this year.

- Daniel Briere leads the Sabres with 11 points in the playoffs.

- Chris Drury leads the Sabres with 7 goals in the playoffs.

- Teppo Numminen leads the Sabres with a plus-9 in the playoffs.

- Dany Heatley leads the Senators with 14 points in the playoffs.

- Daniel Alfredsson leads the Senators with 6 goals in the playoffs.

- Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros lead the Senators with a plus-7 in the playoffs.

- Henrik Tallinder leads the Sabres with 23:10 of ice time per game in the playoffs.

- Daniel Alfredsson and Wade Redden lead the Senators with 22:59 of ice time per game in the playoffs.

- Buffalo's leaders in power play ice time (per game/playoffs):
Daniel Briere 5:19
Brian Campbell 5:01
Chris Drury 4:55
Tim Connolly 4:52
Dainius Zubrus 4:02
Thomas Vanek 3:35

- Ottawa's leaders in power play ice time (per game/playoffs):
Dany Heatley 5:30
Jason Spezza 5:20
Daniel Alfredsson 5:07
Joe Corvo 5:00
Wade Redden 4:10
Tom Preissing 2:38

- Buffalo's leaders in penalty killing ice time (per game/playoffs):
Henrik Tallinder 4:11
Toni Lydman 4:06
Chris Drury 2:45
Teppo Numminen 2:43
Jochen Hecht 2:34
Dmitri Kalinin 2:33

- Ottawa's leaders in penalty killing ice time (per game/playoffs):
Chris Phillips 4:40
Anton Volchenkov 4:23
Antoine Vermette 4:06
Chris Kelly 3:51
Wade Redden 2:52
Andrej Meszaros 2:47

[Madferret]

Sabres and Senators a marquee match-up
Bob McKenzie

Game 6 was a classic Buffalo Sabres hockey game, the kind of game the New York Rangers didn't want the Sabres to play.

The Sabres have so many weapons and can beat you so many different ways. They've got four lines that can generate offence so you do not want to run-and-gun with them.

Very few teams in the NHL can play that style against Buffalo and live to talk about it. And the Rangers, who put up a valiant effort and came close at the end, are no exception.

This sets up an exciting match-up between the Sabres and Senators, the two highest scoring teams in the NHL.

But the Senators have played a much better brand of team defence than the Sabres in these playoffs. Based on what we've seen so far, the Senators have been the better of the two teams, playing the game at a higher level.

A large part of the Senators success has been the play of their top line. Alfredsson, Heatley and Spezza are playing very well and we haven't seen any one line on the Sabres step up to that level.

Alfredsson is playing the best I've ever seen him play in the playoffs. There have been so many years where he's looked like a lost soul and been unable to get the job done. This year, he looks like he's playing free and unencumbered with no pressure, playing physical and getting after guys.

The Sabres haven't really found that extra gear the Senators have found. Briere has been good at times but he hasn't been great and neither have the Sabres.

If you measure this series on potential as opposed to performance, then you can lean the Sabres' way.

This will be a great series but Buffalo is going to have to step it up a notch or two or three to play with the Senators.

For TSN.ca, I'm Bob McKenzie...

[Madferret]

Muckler vindicated by success
May 06, 2007
Sportsnet.ca

OTTAWA (CP) -- John Muckler says he could have listened to his critics and split up the Ottawa Senators when the team struggled out of the gate at the start of the NHL season.

But the 73-year-old general manager didn't and with the Senators advancing to the Eastern Conference final with a win over the New Jersey Devils Saturday, it appears his reluctance to do so has paid off.

"It would have been very easy to break up the hockey club and start over in October or November and December when we were playing badly and getting the criticism," Muckler said Sunday. "But I always felt that it was a pretty good team."

After ousting Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games in the opening round and making equally short work of Martin Brodeur and the Devils, it turns out he was right all along.

It's just the second time in the Senators' modern history that they've made the conference final. As recently as January, they were in doubt to even make the playoffs let alone get this far after several of Muckler's off-season moves appeared to be bigger busts than boons.

Muckler elected to let Zdeno Chara, Dominik Hasek and Brian Pothier walk away to free agency and dealt away Martin Havlat and Bryan Smolinski. To replace them, he splashed out more than US$20 million to sign goaltender Martin Gerber and Joe Corvo to multi-year deals and imported journeyman Dean McAmmond and defenceman Tom Preissing.

When the Senators struggled to get to .500 by Christmas, those decisions were among the reasons most often cited by fans and the media for the stumble.

The criticism didn't stop there for the native of Midland, Ont. He was also picked apart for the moves he didn't make. Apart from the acquisition of Mike Comrie in January, his only other pick-ups, Lawrence Nycholat and Oleg Saprykin, weren't expected to have more than bit parts.

But Muckler insisted he liked the make-up of the team all along. His faith has been rewarded.

"As a general manager, you have to do what you think is right, but you're not going to be right all the time and if you're wrong, you're criticized," he said. "You get your reward being right and that (reward) is watching your team grow."

The Senators have indeed grown and Muckler credits coach Bryan Murray and his staff and the players themselves with the development.

Anton Volchenkov took advantage of increased ice time to help make up for the loss of Chara, while Murray found a fit for players like Corvo and Preissing.

"We were confident that all of them were going to be good players for us," Muckler said.

You don't have to go any further than centre Jason Spezza to see the change. The 23-year-old has always been chided for being poor defensively, but he's been given the green light in these playoffs to play head-to-head against the opponent's top-scoring lines and is often on the ice protecting the lead in the final moments of a game.

"He's improved considerably and I think that's through maturity and also wanting and having the knowledge of how to play under a team concept," Muckler said. "It's a process that every young player has to go through."

Overall, the Senators are no longer the freewheeling bunch that failed to deliver on its promise a year ago. This edition of the Senators is tighter in its own end, tougher and harder-working -- the qualities often touted as being the keys to playoff success.

"Our coaches really changed the system we had," said Muckler, who thought that the Senators were able to beat the Devils at their own disciplined and tight-checking game.

"We did it better than they did it last night," he said of Ottawa's 3-2 win Saturday.

Despite their achievement, Muckler, who has won the Stanley Cup in various capacities on five occasions, says the Senators are only halfway to the goal they started with this year.

He says he feels vindicated, but not satisfied.

"We've had a certain amount of success, yes, but this is not what we came to training camp for, to get this far."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/images/nhl/ott/corvo_joe_hor.jpg

[Mel]

After watching the Sabres for 6 straight games, I have to say this should be Ottawa's series for the taking. Buffalo is definitely beatable.

Where the Rangers fell short, I don't think the Sens will. Ottawa just needs to bang and sustain a forecheck. Basically watch what the Rangers did to Buffalo and just do it better. The goals will come. Get to Miller early (as you did to Brodeur), and I really don't think Buffalo will have an answer. At least not a sustained answer, maybe just spurts here and there. They are not a big team and not a gritty team. Fast yes, but that can be negated.

I'm backing Ottawa the rest of the way. Go Sens.

[Max Power]

After watching the Sabres for 6 straight games, I have to say this should be Ottawa's series for the taking. Buffalo is definitely beatable.

Where the Rangers fell short, I don't think the Sens will. Ottawa just needs to bang and sustain a forecheck. Basically watch what the Rangers did to Buffalo and just do it better. The goals will come. Get to Miller early (as you did to Brodeur), and I really don't think Buffalo will have an answer. At least not a sustained answer, maybe just spurts here and there. They are not a big team and not a gritty team. Fast yes, but that can be negated.

I'm backing Ottawa the rest of the way. Go Sens.

Glad to have you aboard :thumb:

[MadDevil]

Interesting if you break down what Ottawa has done so far in the playoffs. They held the 4th best offensive team in the league to 11 goals in 5 games in the first round. And then in the second round scored 15 goals in 5 games against the 5th best defensive team in the league. Now that to me is balance. To be able to shut down good offensive teams and score on good defensive teams. I don't know as if the Sabres can say the same. We know they can score, but can they shut down the best offense they've faced so far in the Sens? The Sabres struggled against the Rangers and Islanders, neither of which has the depth Ottawa does.

The only question I have for the Sens is Ray Emery. If he gives up some of the rebounds he did against the Devils, the Sabres have the offense to bury those chances. In the end though, Ottawa's depth and balance will overcome the Sabres speed and offense.

Even though it hurts like hell to lose to the Sens, I'll be cheering for them as well (at least against the Sabres). I know I've said this before, but I've always had respect for the Sens organization and if the Devils had to lose to anybody I'd rather it be them. Besides, if the Sens go on to win it all, I can use the "Devils lost to the eventual Cup champions" excuse again.:nod:

[wildboy26]

The Sabres are not playing up to their potential so far IMO. They are struggling with the pressure of being the favorites to win the East, maybe even the Cup. Last season they were still real contenders, but not favored like they are this year. The Sens are playing excellent hockey so far. Sens in 6.

[THE HACK]

The Sabres are not playing up to their potential so far IMO. They are struggling with the pressure of being the favorites to win the East, maybe even the Cup. Last season they were still real contenders, but not favored like they are this year. The Sens are playing excellent hockey so far. Sens in 6.

Holy mosses man,I have to say I agree with you!:D

This is what hockey fans have been craving for,bring it on and go Sens(esp Alfie)!:thumb:

Cheers

[9korona]

This will be a great series to watch possibly the best of the playoffs. It will be back and forth and it should go down to 7 games. I can't wait for this one to get on its way.

[Madferret]

Game Date Matchup/Result Breakdown
1 Thursday, May 10, 7pm et Senators @ Sabres
2 Saturday, May 12, 8pm et Senators @ Sabres
3 Monday, May 14, 7pm et Sabres @ Senators
4 Wednesday, May 16, 7pm et Sabres @ Senators
5 * Saturday, May 19, 2pm et Senators @ Sabres
6 * Monday, May 21, 7pm et Sabres @ Senators
7 * Wednesday, May 23, 7pm et Senators @ Sabres
Best Of Seven Series

[KB in Kelowna]

Hey Sens fans, any chance you guys can get Alfie to have a talk with Naslund about how you elevate your game in the playoffs?

Good Luck against the Swordsman:thumb:

[Madferret]

Plenty of drama in Sens-Sabres series
Canadian Press

The Ottawa Senators have a good reason to dislike the Buffalo Sabres, and the feeling is mutual.

The Senators bit the playoff dust last spring on Jason Pominville's overtime goal right in Ottawa. Going out in five games in the second round after being top-seeded in the NHL's Eastern Conference was a bitter disappointment and they haven't forgotten that the Sabres were the ones that did it to them.

The Sabres would like nothing better than to knock them off again - especially after Chris Neil's blindside hit on Chris Drury, who was walking around wondering what planet he was on after taking 20 stitches across the forehead in crashing to the ice in a Feb. 22 game.

Emotions will run high when they meet in Game 1 of the conference final, which will begin Thursday, and the team that can best control them might gain the upper hand.

"We knew we were going to have to go through these guys to win (the Stanley Cup)," Ottawa's Jason Spezza said during league conference calls Monday. "When you play a team as much as we've played them, there's going to be a rivalry."

In eight regular-season meetings, Ottawa won five in regulation time, while Buffalo won two in regulation and one in a shootout.

Now both teams have survived two rounds of playoffs.

"There was a lot of animosity in our series with Pittsburgh, the New Jersey series was a cat-and-mouse game, and as you go along the passion gets higher," said Spezza.

It took a few games for the top-seeded Sabres to work up a dislike for the Islanders in the first round, and some intense play against the Rangers stirred things up but, in this series, a hate factor will be in place before the first puck is dropped, says the Sabres' Thomas Vanek.

"The bad blood is there from before," said Vanek. "We have a big rivalry with Ottawa. We always have tough games against them. We're looking forward to it."

While Buffalo has many offensive options, Ottawa's line of Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley has spearheaded the attack. They'll see a lot of the shut-down defence pair of Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder. The trio amassed 23 points against the Devils.

"I was feeling pretty good before you mentioned that," kidded Ruff. "Obviously, they're one of their keys. We have to respect that line."

Murray wants more from others.

"We'll expect a bit more from the (Mike) Fisher line in point contribution," he said.

Anton Volchenkov and Chris Phillips have acted as Ottawa's shut-down D pair.

"We know we have to play defence first no matter who we play," said Ottawa coach Bryan Murray.

Last spring's elimination at the hands of the Sabres is irrelevant now, he said.

"It's not deja vu as far as this team is concerned," said Murray. "This is a very different hockey club than last year.

"Last year I saw a team with a lot of flair that could score goals, an exciting team to watch."

A team that also gave up too many scoring chances.

"We realized things had to be different," Murray said. "We don't want to play the trap but we want to play hard defensively."

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff, who was fined $10,000 by the league for his part in brawling by his players after the Neil-Drury incident, says this series could be wildly unpredictable. He based his comment on last year's series between the teams. Buffalo won twice in overtime including a 13-goal opener to seize a 3-0 edge before Ottawa won 2-1 in Buffalo. The Sabres third OT win, 3-2 on the Pominville goal, ended it. "This series can go a number of directions," said Ruff.

One of the directions he doesn't want it going is towards the penalty box and he doesn't expect that to be a problem.

"We'll talk about it internally but, for me, it's a non-factor," said Ruff. "The big prize here is that one team is going to go on to play for the Stanley Cup.

"Penalties for retaliation for something that happened months ago, if you're going to take them at this time of year, your mindset is in the wrong place."

The Sabres stalled last spring when they lost too many defencemen to injuries, but they are healthy this time.

"We all recognize and realize that the expectations in the city are sky-high," said Ruff. "That has carried over from how well we played in last year's playoffs and coming out and having the season we had this year (in finishing first overall).

"There's a lot of excitement in the city."

The Sabres' attacking style "creates a little bit of looseness to our game" that results in opposition scoring chances. But Ruff is okay with that.

"You have to play to your strengths and our strength this year was that we were a sound offensive team," he reasons.

Said Murray: "They have more offensive talent than the two teams we've played to this point."

Many of the Sabres say they haven't played their best game yet despite being 8-3 in the post-season.

"We've had some disappointing periods, which has taken some of the wind out of our sails," said Ruff.

Neil is bound to be a central figure in the series.

"I don't think we'll worry about that," said Vanek. "Chris gets back (at opponents) by scoring goals. That's what makes him such a great leader."

Notes: Alfredsson leads Ottawa with six post-season goals. Heatley and Spezza have five each . . . Drury has a team-best seven and Vanek five for Buffalo . . . Ottawa goalie Ray Emery is 8-2 with a 2.04 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in the playoffs, while Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller is 8-3 with a 2.07 GAA and .928 save percentage . . . Ottawa has never eliminated Buffalo. The Senators were swept by the Sabres in the first round in 1999 and they lost in Game 7 overtime in the first round in 1997.

[Madferret]

Sabres getting breaks going into series
Associated Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Darcy Regier always has been struck by the simplicity of Al Arbour's advice about building a Stanley Cup champion.

"He said you need good players," the Buffalo Sabres general manager said, recalling a conversation with Arbour, who coached the New York Islanders to four titles in the 1980s.

The answer wasn't enough to satisfy Regier.

"I thought, 'Oh, Al, you've got to do better than that,"' said Regier, a former Islanders assistant GM. "And he said, `Well, you need a lot of luck - a lot of good luck."

The top-seeded Sabres have plenty of talent going into the Eastern Conference final for a second consecutive year. And they're finally getting a fair share of breaks - particularly on the injury front - as they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators in a best-of-seven series that opens at Buffalo on Thursday.

When forward Paul Gaustad returned for Game 5 of Buffalo's second-round series against the New York Rangers, it marked the first time this season the Sabres had a full complement of healthy players.

That's a big switch from last year, when a rash of injuries - Buffalo lost four defencemen and centre Tim Connolly - ended the Sabres' run in a Game 7 loss to eventual champion Carolina.

"At this time of year, nothing's easy," Regier said. "And you need things to go well for you."

Comparisons between the Islanders of old and today's Sabres are vastly unfair, but Buffalo has emerged as one of the NHL's top franchises in the two seasons since competition resumed after a yearlong labour dispute.

Counting playoffs, the Sabres have won an NHL-leading 124 games in two years and are coming off a season in which they won the President's Trophy and scored a league-leading 308 goals.

What's missing is the one objective the Sabres have had since the season began: Winning the franchise's first title.

"We set that goal. It's something that we've taken a lot of pride in," coach Lindy Ruff said. "We put a lot of expectations on ourselves from Day 1. We felt we were a good enough team that could contend."

Ruff has the Sabres making their fourth conference final appearance in his nine seasons. The team reached the Stanley Cup final once during that span, in 1999, when bad luck struck again as Brett Hull scored the title-clinching goal with his foot in the crease - which was against the rules at the time.

While the Sabres have enjoyed at least some measure of postseason success, the Senators have known only misfortune, earning the tag of perennial underachievers.

For a team making its 10th consecutive postseason appearance, the Senators have little to show during that stretch. That includes last year when Ottawa, as the East's top seed, was dispatched by Buffalo in five games of a second-round series.

It will never end will it?
I'd hate to imagine what would be thrown at us if we had nothing to show after 40 years...

[Madferret]

Senators ready for rowdy Buffalo crowd
Canadian Press

OTTAWA (CP) - Ray Emery and the Ottawa Senators are anticipating a hostile reception from the HSBC Arena crowd when the Eastern Conference final kicks off.

Rather than intimidate, however, the Senators say the fans in Buffalo will serve to motivate their effort to steal a victory in Thursday's opening game of the best-of-seven series and take away the Sabres' home-ice advantage.

"I like that, it gets you going a bit more," Emery said Wednesday before the Senators left Ottawa. "You can kind of feed off of that. Even if they're screaming obscenities at you, it kinds of gets you motivated and pumped up."

The Senators goaltender can expect some special attention from the Sabres' faithful after he fanned the flames of an already heated rivalry earlier this week with some wisecracks about how he would have preferred to have been headed for Manhattan to play the New York Rangers rather than making the trip further upstate and the more subdued environs of Buffalo.

Those comments made the rounds in Buffalo and Sabres coach Lindy Ruff shot back that Emery could rent a car and go driving in his downtime, in reference to the traffic accident the Senators netminder got in that caused him to miss the team's charter to New Jersey last week in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Emery had the latest word Wednesday when asked if he'd have anything to say to Ruff if he saw him on the road - Emery quipped he'd greet him with a little "nudge."

What's no joke is the Senators' road record this spring, where they've won four of five away games.

Against Pittsburgh in the opening round, they went 2-for-2 at Mellon Arena to put the Penguins in the hole after a split in Ottawa.

The Senators followed that up in Round 2 by travelling to New Jersey and beating the Devils 5-4 in the opener to earn a split at Continental Airlines Arena, where they later wrapped up the series.

In both of those previous destinations, however, the environment wasn't as charged with the playoff fever that's gripped Buffalo.

Behind the support, the Sabres have gone 5-1 at the 18,690-capacity HSBC Arena and Ruff remarked earlier this week that fan support has been an inspiring factor during the team's run.

Just how strong is the team's popularity? Buffalo is the top-selling team in terms of merchandise for the past eight months in figures released by NHL.com - up 895 per cent from a year earlier, according to the Buffalo News.

Those fans have plenty to root against in the Senators. In addition to Emery, Chris Neil, who knocked Chris Drury out with a controversial hit in February and Peter Schaefer, who put Tim Connolly out of the playoffs a year ago with a similar check, can also expect to hear the jeers.

But the charged atmosphere suits Ottawa just fine.

"Sometimes the Jersey crowd almost put you to sleep a little bit. I think that's the way their team almost wants it," Senators centre Jason Spezza said following Wednesday's practice.

"We're not going to have to worry about that now because Buffalo's got a pretty rowdy crowd as it is and from what you read and hear, you know it's going to be pretty rowdy. If anything, it helps to get more motivated. Coming in, you get the energy of the building."

Ottawa's objective will be to score first and take it from there since they're 6-0 in these playoffs after notching the opening goal.

"The trend, definitely for the teams that are winning, is they're getting early leads on they're holding on to them," Spezza said. "For us it's important because once we score first, then teams have to try and take chances to score and once teams start gambling, then our transition game comes in.

"That's why we've been good with the lead all year because once the teams have got to gamble, we kind of bury them on two-on-ones and (the Sabres) are kind of similar, so the first goal will be really important in the series."

Last spring, Ottawa had home-ice advantage against the Sabres and lost Game 1 en route to being upset in the series. They're hoping to turn the tables on Buffalo.

The Senators will be helped offensively by the return to practice Wednesday of second-line right-winger Mike Comrie, who'd sat out the previous two days to rest an undisclosed injury. With right-winger Patrick Eaves also back up to speed after suffering a suspected concussion following a crunching hit from Pittsburgh's Colby Armstrong in the opening round, Ottawa has its entire lineup available.

"I think we found out last year in Game 1 we had home ice, we had a good year, we lost it - and it affected us," Senators coach Bryan Murray said.

"This time around, I think the shoes are totally reversed. They're the elite team, they have home ice - and that's not a bad thing for us."

[Madferret]

The Latest on the Senators
Centre Mike Comrie is questionable for Game 1 on Thursday night in Buffalo. He participated in practice on Wednesday, but is suffering from an upper body injury. He will take the morning skate on Thursday and an update will be provided at that time. Also, Patrick Eaves skated as an extra with Bryan McGrattan on Wednesday, so it appears he won't be starting the series. - TSN

[Newfie John]

This series is going to be a doozy for sure.

[Madferret]

Senators, Sabres ready for a battle
The Sports Network

(Sports Network) - The Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators will resume a heated rivalry on the big stage tonight, when the top-seeded Sabres host Game 1 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals at HSBC Arena.

This series pits a pair of bitter division combatants against one another and for that reason it has the potential to be the best matchup in this year's playoffs.

The Sabres and Senators played eight times during the regular season and the hostilities reached a peak on February 24, when the teams engaged in a nasty brawl that featured all 12 players on the ice, including the goaltenders.

Buffalo wound up winning the Northeast Division title, but the Senators held the upper hand in the season series as they posted a 5-3 record against the Sabres this year.

The Sabres and Sens have met three times in playoff series and Buffalo is 3-0 in those series. The clubs faced off in last year's conference semifinals and Buffalo won that set in five games. The Senators are just 4-12 all-time in playoff tilts against the Sabres.

Buffalo, this year's Presidents' Trophy winner, nearly had their backs against the wall in their last playoff series against the New York Rangers, but were able to win that series in six games and reach the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight year.

It's not surprising that centermen Chris Drury and Daniel Briere have led the way for the Sabres in this postseason, as they have been the sparkplugs for the team all year long. Briere is leading Buffalo with 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists), while Drury is second in points with 10 and first in goals with seven.

Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller has been superb in this postseason, posting an 8-3 record, 2.07 goals against average and .928 save percentage. The American backstop has yielded two goals or less in eight of his 11 playoff games this year.

The Sabres, who have never won a Stanley Cup title, will be attempting to reach the final round for the first time since 1999, when they lost to Dallas in six games. Buffalo failed to reach the Stanley Cup finals last year, as they lost a grueling, seven-game conference final series to eventual champion Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Senators have been labeled as disappointing playoff performers in recent years, but they are trying to shed that image in this postseason.

The fourth-seeded Senators have advanced past the first two rounds of the Eastern Conference playoffs by winning each series in five games. Ottawa disposed of Pittsburgh in the opening round and followed that by bouncing New Jersey in the conference semifinals.

Ottawa, which is in the postseason for the 10th straight year, came into the current playoffs with just three series wins of five games or less in franchise history. The club has still never earned a sweep in 16 all-time playoff series.

The Senators are in the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in club annals and for the first time since losing in seven games to New Jersey in 2003.

Ottawa has been led in the postseason by a stellar trio of forwards that form one of the most formidable lines in all of hockey. Jason Spezza centers the line and is flanked by wingers Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley. It doesn't come as a shock that those players are the top-three scorers for Ottawa in the playoffs.

Heatley, who posted a team-high 105 points during the regular season, is leading the Senators in scoring so far in this postseason, as he has notched a team-high 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists). Spezza is next with five goals and seven assists and Alfredsson, the team captain, is third in points with 11, but first in goals with six markers.

The Senators also have had a great asset in goal this postseason, as 24-year- old netminder Ray Emery continues to come into his own. The Ontario native shrugged off a poor 2006 postseason to go 8-2 with a 2.04 goals against average and .919 save percentage this year.

Emery has also posted his first two playoff shutouts in this postseason and outplayed the legendary Martin Brodeur in the last series against New Jersey.

Buffalo was 28-10-3 as the home team during the regular season, while the Senators posted a solid 23-12-6 mark as the visiting club.

The second game of this series is scheduled for Saturday evening at HSBC Arena.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070510/Comrie_41031.jpg

[Madferret]

Centre Mike Comrie will play in Game 1. He participated in practice on Wednesday, but was suffering from an upper body injury. Also, Patrick Eaves is medically cleared to play but won't be starting the series. - TSN

[Madferret]

McKenzie: Senators need some support
Bob McKenzie

There needs to be more secondary support for the Ottawa Senators heading into their series against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sabres have the best four lines offensively in the National Hockey League and if the Senators want to compete with that, they obviously have to be strong on the defensive side of the puck but they'll also want to get more help from the rest of their lines.

The line in particular that really needs to step up is the Mike Fisher-Peter Schaefer-Mike Comrie trio. I thought Fisher played extremely well so far in the playoffs, not scoring a lot of goals but is a physical force on the ice.

Comrie is banged up with the bad shoulder while Schaefer's a guy whose had a very quiet series, at least the last one out. The Senators need Schaefer to step up with some big hits or some big goals and help make a difference, closing the gap between his second line and the Spezza-Heatly-Alfredsson group.

On The Defensive

Great team defence can stop the Sabres offence.

When you start talking about great defence, the first thing the Senators need to do is make sure they make smart decisions when they have the puck. That's where good defence starts, what they call puck control.

If you have neutral zone turnovers against the Sabres, they will feast on you. They're the best transition team in the NHL so you have to manage the puck smartly coming through the zone. And if the play's not there, don't try to force it or dump the puck in.

The Senators defence has done a great job in these playoffs, moving the puck and making the first pass. That is how you play defence against the Sabres. Be smart through the neutral zone, smart coming out of your own end, and you won't be playing as much defence as you would otherwise.

[swflyers25]

GO SENS GO!

[Man.Utd]

Comrie will play but is likely still hurting with an upper-body injury. Any guesses? I'd say his wrist area from when he went into the boards hard against New Jersey. Otherwise it might be that shoulder injury that was hampering him earlier in the year that he played through.

He gives us much better secondary scoring when healthy. Hopefully he's decent.

Eaves is medically cleared to play and a possibility for game 2.

[Amoroq]

A board dominated by Sens fans and not a single post game post? WTF ;)

I had to sleep, so I missed the game. Does the score reflect a dominating performance by the Sens, did Buffalo crap the bed, or was it a little of both?

[Madferret]

Ottawa dominated for the most part. Miller kept it close.

[Madferret]

Sens draw first blood in win over Sabres
Canadian Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) - Oleg Saprykin began the playoffs in the press box. On Thursday night he was the Game 1 hero in the NHL's Eastern Conference final, just another example of the depth in the mighty arsenal of the Ottawa Senators.

''It's a great team. These guys have played together for a long time,'' Saprykin, a trade deadline acquisition, said after Ottawa's 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. ''I just had to wait for my chance to get in the lineup and help the team win.''

The fourth-line winger scored 7:41 into the third period to put ahead Ottawa ahead for good at 3-2, the Senators responding strongly after giving up a 2-0 lead. But these aren't the same Senators of yesteryear.

''We're a different group in here,'' said star winger Dany Heatley. ''There's a different feeling in here, a different vibe. What you saw out there tonight was guys not getting rattled, not being nervous.''

Those should be chilling words to the top-ranked Sabres, who were outclassed by the fourth-seeded Senators in Game 1. Buffalo committed 19 turnovers to Ottawa's eight, the Senators forcing the Sabres into bad decisions with a smart forecheck.

''It is a concern,'' said Sabres winger Jason Pominville. ''Especially against them, a team with tons of creative guys who can make you pay. You definitely don't want to turn the puck over. We got especially sloppy after the game was tied 2-2.''

Dean McAmmond, Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher also scored for the red-hot Senators, who lost last year's first game to the Sabres en route to a five-game series exit in the second round.

''We're a different hockey club than last year,'' said Sens head coach Bryan Murray. ''Our younger players are better, they've got more experience. Getting the first game here sets a nice tone for us.''

Toni Lydman and Maxim Afinogenov replied for the Sabres, who are 1-13 all-time in best-of-seven series after dropping Game 1 - their lone series win against Ottawa in 1997. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series goes in Buffalo Saturday night and fans can only hope they once again get what they witnessed in Game 1, big hits, great passing and solid goaltending - hockey at its best.

As expected the Sabres' shutdown defence pair of Lydman and Henrik Tallinder drew the assignment of trying to stop Spezza's top line with Alfredsson and Heatley, and while the Senators trio didn't score 5-on-5 they certainly had their fair share of chances. The Sabres, who also put Chris Drury's line against Spezza, must find a way to better minimize the Sens stars.

''We did create a lot of chances,'' said Alfredsson. ''We hit some posts. We skated really well. I thought we moved the puck well.''

The Sabres also continued to struggle on the power play, going 0-for-5 on the night, while the Senators were 2-for-6. Buffalo must find a way to break through with the man advantage or this series will be a short one.

Sens goalie Ray Emery stopped 18 of 20 shots while Buffalo's Ryan Miller was much busier, saving 29 of 33 shots.

Emery is public enemy No. 1 here ever since he beat up former Sabres goalie Martin Biron during a brawl in February. And the crowd wasted no time in mockingly chanting, ''Emery, Emery,'' after he juggled an easy shot early in the game. But the Senators quieted the crowd by taking a 2-0 lead, Fisher beating Miller five-hole on a short-handed breakaway 4:32 into the game, Sabres defenceman Dmitri Kalinin coughing it up at the Ottawa blue-line, and Alfredsson blasting a one-timer from the point at 7:54 on a 4-on-3 power play.

The nervous tension in the building gave way to cheers when Afinogenov cut into the lead at 10:55, slamming it home at the side of the net after a juicy rebound from Emery. Lydman had 18,690 fans at HSBC Arena rocking again at 8:45 in the second period, skating out from corner a la Jean Beliveau and stuffing it five-hole. But instead of panicking at 2-2, Ottawa's resolve got firmer. The Senators began beating the Sabres to loose pucks and taking the game over.

''That's probably the major difference from this team and teams in the past,'' said Spezza. ''Our composure in those types of situations - that's experience.''

It was tied through 40 minutes but the Senators deserved a better fate, outshooting the Sabres 24-15 but frustrated by several point-blank saves from Miller, including a huge one off Heatley during a Senators power play. Heatley was absolutely robbed again one minute into the third period, Miller's pad save keeping it 2-2. Emery showed he was no slouch, stopping Adam Mair from in-close four minutes later.

Ottawa's fourth line then broke though for the winner, Saprykin deftly re-directing a pass from the sideboards by McAmmond at 7:41 to give the Senators a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish. ''It hit the right spot on my stick and went in,'' said Saprykin, shrugging his shoulders.

Spezza made it 4-2 on the power play with 4:12 left in the game, slipping a rebound from the slot past Miller. McAmmond hit the open net with 13 seconds left and the Senators took away Buffalo's home-ice advantage.

Notes: Forward Patrick Eaves (head) remained out for the Senators while tough guy Brian McGrattan and defenceman Lawrence Nycholat were the other notable scratches . Forwards Drew Stafford and Daniel Paille and tough guy Andrew Peters were healthy scratches for the Sabres . Buffalo won Game 1 in Ottawa last spring, 7-6 in overtime . The Senators won five of eight regular-season games between the two clubs this year.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070510/sens_78704.jpg

[Madferret]

Senators look to take charge in Game 2
Sports Network

(Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will attempt to grab a two-game lead in the Eastern Conference finals tonight, when they visit the Buffalo Sabres for Game 2 at HSBC Arena.

The Senators opened the best-of-seven set with a decisive 5-2 victory in Game 1 on Thursday. Oleg Saprykin scored the go-ahead marker to highlight a three- goal third period in the opener for Ottawa.

Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Dean McAmmond each had a goal and an assist for the Senators, who are in the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history after ousting Pittsburgh and New Jersey in the first two rounds. Ottawa has never made it to the Stanley Cup finals.

Mike Fisher also lit the lamp for the Senators, who are now 9-8 all-time in Game 1s after going 1-6 in the first seven playoff series openers in club history.

The top line was excellent again for Ottawa on Thursday as it combined to score five points in Game 1 at Buffalo. In addition to Spezza and Alfredsson each posting a goal and an assist, Dany Heatley also notched an assist and had a team-high six shots on goal.

Ottawa's No. 1 unit features the teams top-three scorers for the Senators in this postseason. In fact, Heatley is leading all NHL players with 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) and Spezza is second in the league with 14 points (6g, 8a). Alfredsson is not far behind with 13 points on seven goals and six assists.

In the goaltending department, Ray Emery had a fairly uneventful night as he made 18 saves on 20 shots for the Senators. The 24-year-old Emery is 9-2 with a 2.03 goals against average and .917 save percentage.

Meanwhile, the Sabres are trailing in a series for the first time in this postseason. They were tied at 2-2 with the New York Rangers in the conference semifinals, but posted consecutive victories to end that set in six games.

Maxim Afinogenov and Toni Lydman each scored a goal for Buffalo on Thursday, while the club's top-two centers Chris Drury and Daniel Briere were held without points, marking just the second time in this postseason that both players were kept off the score sheet.

Ryan Miller made 29 stops for the Sabres, but fell to 5-1 lifetime in playoff series openers.

This is Buffalo's second straight trip to the conference finals. Last year, the Sabres lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.

This is the fourth time the Sabres and Sens have met in the playoffs and Buffalo has won the previous three series. The clubs faced off in last year's conference semifinals and Buffalo won that set in five games.

Buffalo was 28-10-3 as the home team during the regular season, while the Senators posted a solid 23-12-6 mark as the visiting club.

Game 3 of this series is scheduled for Monday evening at Ottawa's Scotiabank Place.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20061205/sens_80568.jpg

[Madferret]

Preissing on in Ottawa
Sportsnet.ca News
May 12, 2007

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) -- Tom Preissing was rated by most as the third-best player in a three-way trade last July. How things have changed in 10 months.

Preissing, who broke into the NHL with San Jose in 2003-04, won't soon forget last July 9. He was first traded to Chicago by the Sharks with Josh Hennessy in exchange for forward Mark Bell, then shipped off to Ottawa by Chicago with Josh Hennessy, Michal Barinka and a second-round choice in the 2008 entry draft for winger Martin Havlat and centre Bryan Smolinski.

"I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't hurt at first," said Preissing, a native of Arlington Heights, Ill. "Emotionally I put so much into that team and basically they're saying `We don't want you anymore.' I tried not to take it personally but it's hard not to."

Meanwhile, the Hawks were seen as the big winners, getting a star sniper in Havlat, and paying him the US$6 million a year the Senators couldn't afford, while the Sharks were pumped about getting what they felt in Bell was the missing link on their first line with Joe Thornton and Jonathan Cheechoo.

The Senators? They got a lukewarm response at best on the home front for acquiring the unheralded Preissing. But while Havlat suffered through an injury-plagued season (although he was dynamite when he played) and Bell ended up a fourth-line winger in San Jose, the Senators have got all they could ask from Preissing, who tied with superstar Nicklas Lidstrom of Detroit with top plus-minus among NHL defenceman at plus-40.

"I think he's a big asset to our defence," Senators GM John Muckler said ahead of Saturday's Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final. "We wanted to build a defence that was going to be quicker that it has been in the past, move the puck quicker out of our zone because we're a hockey club that's all about speed and counter. He became a big part of that."

It didn't come easy at first.

"To be honest I looked at where this team was and where I was coming from, I thought the transition would be pretty seamless," said Preissing. "Realistically? It was tough. It took me probably a good 20 to 30 games before I felt comfortable with my new teammates and the system here."

He ended up with 38 points (7-31) in 80 regular-season games -- tops among all Senators blue-liners -- and carried two goals and four assists in 11 playoff games into Saturday night's affair.

"Tommy is a really good hockey player," Sharks GM Doug Wilson said Saturday from San Jose. "It was just one of those things that you have to give to get and that's the player that they wanted. But Tom has shown the things that he's capable of doing. And he played very well for us as well."

The question now is whether Preissing will play more than one season in Ottawa. He's slated for unrestricted free agency July 1 and will be getting a sizable raise from the $600,000 he's making this season.

"We do want him back, we're really going to work hard to be able to do that," said Muckler.

The feeling is mutual.

"I'd love to stay in Ottawa, I've come to really like the city and the people," said Preissing.

"We talked about it a little bit before the playoffs started and really that's been about it," he added. "We left it that we would talk again after the playoffs because we don't want that distraction right now."

The irony certainly isn't lost on him, meanwhile, that he's still playing hockey while his former team is out.

"I was expecting them to make it to the Cup final, quite frankly," said Preissing. "If I was to pick out a team from the West, I was going to pick San Jose. I still have a lot of friends on that team and part of me is still there, because that's the first team I played for. I felt like I grew up with that organization.

"It was pretty disheartening to see not only that they lost but how they lost. They had a couple of unfortunate plays that cost them the series against Detroit."

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[Madferret]

Senators down Sabres in double OT
Canadian Press

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) - Joe Corvo was so high on life Saturday night he doubted he'd come down before sunrise.

"I was just trying to catch the highlight of my goal on TV in the room and I missed it," said the overtime hero. "But I told the guys, `It's alright, I'll catch it again at 5 a.m. when I'm still awake."'

Corvo's knuckler from the blue-line 4:58 into double overtime lifted the Senators to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final. Needless to say, goal No. 37 in his NHL career tops the list.

"It's obviously the biggest goal in my life." said the 29-year-old native of Oak Park, Ill. "Just total elation when it went in. It's something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

So will many Senators fans, who no doubt will be rocking Scotiabank Place for Game 3 Monday night with their club coming home two wins shy of a trip to the Stanley Cup final.

"I wouldn't even know how to describe what it's going to be like," said Corvo. "It's going to be electric."

The Senators had been 0-8 in Games 2s after winning the opening game, but that streak is over, much like many of Ottawa's post-season crutches of years past.

"There's so much motivation in this room to prove everyone wrong this year," said Sens goalie Ray Emery, once again terrific in stopping 34 of 37 shots.

Not even an early two-goal lead by the home team nor Daniel Briere's tying goal with 5.8 seconds to go in the third period could stop Ottawa, who continues to show its resiliency in this year's playoffs.

"I told the guys going into the fifth period, `you've shown that character all year,"' said Ottawa head coach Bryan Murray. "I know it was tough giving up that goal with 5.8 seconds left - it was tough on me - but they came back hard from that. It was a huge character win."

The Sabres not only head to Ottawa down 2-0 in the series, a daunting task at best, but also left HSBC Arena on Saturday night knowing they had lost for the first time this year after being up two goals. They were 40-0 in the regular season when up a pair and 6-0 in the post-season.

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff says his team can draw on their road prowess to get back into the series

"We mentioned that right after the game," said Ruff. "We're one of the best road teams in the league."

Wade Redden, Mike Fisher and captain Daniel Alfredsson also scored for the Senators, who could barely have written a better script through two games.

"It's a real achievement at this point in time, but we know we're only halfway there," said Murray. Jochen Hecht and Thomas Vanek also scored for the Sabres, who remain scoreless on the power play in this series, going 0-for-7 in Game 2 and are now 0-for-12 in the Eastern Conference final.

Ruff had a surprise waiting for Ottawa in Game 2, deciding to match up Briere's line on Jason Spezza's top unit. Chris Drury's line had been matched up most of the year and all of these playoffs against the opponent's top line but Ruff shook things up after Spezza and company had too many chances in Game 1.

It also gave Briere more ice time, which had been a sore point in Game 1. And while the Senators won again, Briere played one of his better games of the post-season, leading all Buffalo skaters with 32:22 of ice time and scoring a huge goal.

Knowing their season was essentially on the line, the Sabres charged out of the gates and took it to the Senators, drawing a penalty early on because of their hard work in the offensive zone. And they thought they had a goal on the ensuing power play at 1:51, but a lengthy video review ruled it no goal, the ruling that the puck was directed in off Vanek's gloves.

"We looked hard for all angles to deem the puck was off the glove," Kris King, the NHL's director of hockey operations (Toronto), explained during the first period intermission. "And indeed it was as he was shooting and (rule) 67.6 says that you cannot direct the puck into the net with the glove."

So Vanek took it in his own hands, making a great move around Dany Heatley at 3:41 and finding the top corner on Emery while falling down.

The sellout HSBC Arena crowd of 18,690 found a new decibel level to go to after Hecht made it 2-0 at 6:13, hammering home a rebound from the faceoff dot after a series of saves from Emery.

It could easily have been 3-0 moments later by Emery stoned Jason Pominville from in-close with a superb pad save. It was a save to remember, because the comeback started moments later.

The Senators' big guns cut the lead to 2-1, Spezza finding Heatley inside the Sabres blue-line who in turn then made a perfect feed to Alfredsson who cut in from the right side and roofed it on Ryan Miller at 14:22.

The Sabres went to their dressing room to a standing ovation, having outshot the Senators 15-8 in the opening 20 minutes, a night-and-day effort from Game 1.

"I didn't think they (the Sabres) could have played any harder than they did in the first period," said Murray.

But it was Ottawa who came out flying in period 2. tying it 2-2 at 6:08 on the power play, Fisher's one-time blast from the top of the right faceoff circle beating a moving Miller.

A roughing penalty to Brian Campbell was followed one minute later by a hooking call on Dainius Zubrus, giving the Senators a 5-on-3 advantage. They didn't miss, Redden's one-time blast beating Miller top corner on the glove side with only 15.8 seconds to go in the second period, giving Ottawa the 3-2 lead.

Buffalo didn't get its first shot of the middle period until 11:30 and was outshot 9-5 overall.

The Senators played shutdown hockey in the third period, keeping the Sabres largely at bay. But Briere provided the miracle goal during a mad scramble in front of Emery, slipping in a loose puck into an empty side with Miller on the bench for the extra attacker.

The Senators outshot the Sabres 9-6 in the first overtime and Antoine Vermette thought he had a goal but his first and second shot were both stopped by Miller.

Ottawa caught a break midway through the first overtime when Alfredsson escaped punishment after hitting Henrik Tallinder from behind into the boards. The top Sabres blue-liner went to the dressing room but later came back.

"I thought it was a definitely a check from behind," said Ruff.

The Sabres did get a power-play chance in the first overtime when Corvo was called for interference at 11:31, but once again didn't really menace on the man advantage.

Notes: Forward Patrick Eaves (head) remained out for the Senators while tough guy Brian McGrattan and defenceman Lawrence Nycholat were the other notable scratches . Forwards Drew Stafford and Daniel Paille and tough guy Andrew Peters were healthy scratches for the Sabres.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070513/Sens2_779.jpg

[Madferret]

Senators look to take commanding lead
Canadian Press

(Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will try to move closer to the first Stanley Cup finals berth in team history when they host the top-seeded Buffalo Sabres at Scotiabank Place in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Senators have jumped out to a two games to one advantage in the best-of- seven set and will try to push that edge to 3-0 tonight as the series shifts to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4.

After dominating the Sabres with a 5-2 victory in the series opener, Ottawa was able to grind out a double-overtime decision in Game 2 on Saturday. Joe Corvo's goal 4:58 into the second OT lifted the fourth-seeded Senators to the 4-3 win at HSBC Arena.

From a right-circle draw, Jason Spezza dished the puck back to Corvo, who was waiting three strides inside the blue line. Although the puck was on edge, Corvo was able to hit the disc with full force. The shot dipped and hit the ice, then bounced up and past stunned Sabres netminder Ryan Miller.

Spezza had three assists and Dany Heatley added two helpers for the Senators, who are 10-2 thus far in the postseason, and who have won the first two games of a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. Daniel Alfredsson, Mike Fisher and Wade Redden lit the lamp in regulation.

Ray Emery stopped 34 shots to earn his 10th victory of this postseason, as Ottawa rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win. Emery also has a 2.04 goals against average and .917 save percentage in his 12 postseason contests this year.

A pair of Senators also broke club playoff marks on Saturday night. Alfredsson tallied his eighth goal of the playoffs to set a new Senators mark. Meanwhile, Heatley has 12 helpers and 17 points this year to give him a team record for assists and points in one postseason.

The Sabres, meanwhile, have a tough task ahead of them as they try to win a series after falling behind 2-0 for the first time in team history.

Thomas Vanek, Jochen Hecht and Daniel Briere tallied for the Sabres, who are 8-5 in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with the best record in the NHL.

Ryan Miller surrendered four goals on 32 shots in the loss.

Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder is questionable for tonight's contest after suffering an undisclosed injury in Saturday's game. The injury occurred after a crosscheck into the boards by Alfredsson, who wasn't penalized on the play. Tallinder has two assists in this year's playoffs.

This is Buffalo's second straight trip to the conference finals. Last year, the Sabres lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. Buffalo hasn't made it to the Stanley Cup finals since 1999, when it lost in six games to Dallas.

This is the fourth time the Sabres and Sens have met in the playoffs and Buffalo has won the previous three series. The clubs faced off in last year's conference semifinals and Buffalo won that set in five games.

Ottawa was 25-13-3 as the home team during the regular season, while the Sabres posted an excellent 25-12-4 mark as the visiting club.

Game 4 of this series is scheduled for Wednesday evening at Scotiabank Place.

[Iced Tea]

Wooooooooooooooo, Sens win game 3. :D

Pfft, Cherry and McLean are talking about Murray's tie. Stupid CBC nuts.

Sabres certainly don't look like the powerhouse they were in the regular season. Not sure how much of that is the Sabres own problems and how much is the Sens playing very well.

Anyways, another solid game by the Sens and they can go for the sweep at home. Yaaaaaaaa

[swflyers25]

I just love seeing the Sabres choke like this. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

[Madferret]

Senators pull within a win of Cup Final
Canadian Press

OTTAWA (CP) - Goaltender Ray Emery had the best spot in Scotiabank Place to watch the Ottawa Senators play a defensive gem of a game - in the crease.

And now his Senators are only one win away from the Stanley Cup final.

Emery needed only 15 saves while his defence blocked another 13 as the Senators posted a 1-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.

Ottawa leads the best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference final 3-0 and can sweep what was expected to be a close, high-scoring series with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Place.

"We're a really good defensive team, but that was exceptional," said Emery after his third shutout of the post-season. "They're always blocking shots, but that was a real shut-down game."

Captain and playoff goal-scoring leader Daniel Alfredsson got the game's only goal on a fortunate bounce in the second period as Ryan Miller stood tall, making 31 saves for a desperate Buffalo team.

But his own side, which had four three-goal scorers this season, could not penetrate the Sabres' thorough checking and defensive play.

Now the team that led the NHL in scoring and finished first overall this season is on the brink of elimination by the team it ousted in five games only last spring.

Only two NHL teams - the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders - have ever won a series after trailing 3-0.

"It's going to take something special," said a sombre Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. "We had some tremendous streaks during the regular season and we're going to have to put one together now."

The Senators, considered post-season underachievers in recent seasons by some, are vying to reach the Stanley Cup final for the first time since the franchise was revived in 1992.

Alfredsson scored at 13:40 of the second period, finishing a wild play in which Dany Heatley's bullet shot went off the back boards, hit Miller's elbow and rolled into the crease for a tap-in goal.

It was the Senators' sixth playoff win in a row and the fifth straight game in which Alfredsson has scored.

But hot as he and the team are, there was no gloating.

"We're confident, but we're respectful of our opponent," Alfredsson said, with three-year-old son Hugo on his knee for the post-game interview. "We're not taking anything for granted. We know they're a dangerous team."

More shocked than the players was the festive crowd of 20,171, who streamed out in their Senators' red gear and immediately began a car horn-honking party.

The home side has been particularly sharp killing penalties. Buffalo was 0-for-6 with the man advantage and is without a goal in 18 opportunities in the series.

Ruff tried using bigger checking wingers like Paul Gaustad on the power play late in the game to help retrieve loose pucks, but nothing worked. The Sabres had only one shot on the power play in the game.

"We were outstanding," said Ottawa coach Bryan Murray.

Miller held the Sabres in a game through a 13-4 bombardment in the first period in which he stoned Alfredsson on a rebound and made a huge glove save on Chris Kelly.

He was helped by his goalpost on an Andrei Meszaros shot in the third.

Emery was rarely tested, facing only 10 shots through the first two periods, but he made a sharp saves on Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Pominville in the second.

"They didn't generate much," said Emery. "You had to try to stay focused and mentally sharp for when they did get a chance."

Notes: Defenceman Henrik Tallinder was in the Sabres' starting lineup despite a hard hit into the boards from Alfredsson in Game 2 in Buffalo and there were no lineup changes for either club. Tallinder was called for high-sticking Alfredsson in the third period. . . A Canadian-based team has not won the Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens. . . Scotiabank Place has 11 Stanley Cup banners won by various Ottawa clubs in the early 20th century.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070514/senators_78427.jpg

ALFIE!!!!!!

[Mel]

Sens are looking awesome.... really seasoned and primed to go for it this year.


Buffalo looks as outclassed as I thought they would in this series.

[Max Power]

Well I'm speechless. I thought Ottawa would somewhat easily beat the Sabers if they played the same way they played against the NY teams but I never expected them to be up 3-0. I seriously thought the Sabers would step it up a few notches but I guess they thought they could win on pure skill. Or they just don’t care since their fans already awarded them the cup.
Anyways it’s not over yet but with Ottawa playing as well as they are I can’t see a comeback being possible

[Madferret]

McKenzie: Sabres getting 'Ottawa' treatment?
Bob McKenzie

I've been surprised with the Eastern Conference Final between the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators, because I expected it would go six or seven games.

And now the question is - can it go beyond four games?

Let's get one thing perfectly clear. Of all the playoff teams right from the puck drop in Game 1 of the opening playoffs to now, the Senators have been a well-oiled machine. They are a juggernaut, make no mistake about it.

But there's no question in my mind that the Sabres are sagging and being crashed by the weight of expectations and the pressure that goes with being the favourite going into the Eastern Conference Final.

The Sabres are getting the "Ottawa" treatment, if you will. For years, Ottawa fans know how they felt about the Senators shortcomings in the playoffs because they felt weighed down. That's what's happening to the Sabres, along with a very good Ottawa team.

Power Players

If there was one area the Sabres can say the Senators are dominating in, it would be the power play, no question about it.

You could talk to every Sabres player and they will tell you that the power play that had been so efficient is totally inefficient. Yet, another night without a power play goal for the Sabres in Game 3.

Everything about the Sabres power play has been horrendous: They've had bad injuries, bad puck retrieval, bad passing, they've had their shots blocked and how many turnovers have led to odd-man rushes for the short-handed Senators?

Take a look at the totals for the Sabres' power play in the series: 0-for-5 in the first game, 0-for-7 in the second game, and 0-for-6 in the third game. That's 0-for-18 overall in the series, more than 34 minutes of power play time.

The Senators totals are phenomenal. They are 4-for-17 and 28 minutes of power play time. The Senators power play is humming.

[Darsehole Tucker]

Not too much more can be said. Break out the brooms tomorrow night, the Sabres don't seem to have anything left in the tank. I think we've all witnessed how that works over the last ten years. I've been away for a couple of weeks but I watched all of the games on Versus while I was away, and the coverage was actually pretty decent, I was impressed.

[Madferret]

Senators look to complete sweep of Sabres
The Sports Network

(Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators will try to complete a shocking sweep of the top-seeded Buffalo Sabres tonight, when the teams meet for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals at Scotiabank Place.

The Senators have jumped out to a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series and are now just one win away from their first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup finals.

Meanwhile, Buffalo, this year's Presidents' Trophy winner, needs to win four straight games to avoid losing in the East finals for the second straight season. The Sabres were ousted by Carolina in seven games last year and the Hurricanes went on to win the Cup.

In order to make the Stanley Cup finals this year, the Sabres will have to become just the third team in NHL history to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The New York Islanders did it last in the 1975 Stanley Cup quarterfinals against Pittsburgh and the Toronto Maple Leafs were the first to pull off the feat when they rallied against Detroit to win the Cup in 1942.

The Senators and Sabres, the two highest-scoring teams in the NHL during the regular season, played a 1-0 game on Monday and Ottawa skated away with the win. The Sens improved to 8-0 when scoring the first goal in the playoffs this year.

Daniel Alfredsson scored the lone goal in Game 2 and Ottawa suffocated the potent Buffalo offense to take the commanding lead in the East finals.

Alfredsson extended his team record for goals in a single postseason with his ninth tally and he also found the back of the net for the fifth straight game. Ottawa's captain has 15 points overall in this year's playoffs.

Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza, Alfredsson's linemates, each posted an assist in Monday's win and are tied for the team lead in points with 18 apiece. Prior to this postseason, Ottawa's record for points in a single playoff year was 16 set by Marian Hossa in 2003.

Senators goaltender Ray Emery needed to make just 15 saves for his third shutout of the playoffs. The 24-year-old Emery is 11-2 with a 1.89 goals against average and .921 save percentage in his second postseason.

Buffalo was once again done in by its power play. The Sabres went 0-for-6 with the man-advantage on Monday and have yet to score in 18 power play opportunities against the Senators.

Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller kept Buffalo in the game with 31 saves, but received no help from his teammates.

Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, Buffalo's co-captains, have both had less than productive series against the Senators. Each player has just one point so far in the set and that came when Briere scored with 5.8 seconds left in regulation of Game 2 to send the contest to overtime. Drury added an assist on that goal, but Buffalo wound up losing when Ottawa's Joe Corvo scored early in the second extra period.

This is the fourth time the Sabres and Sens have met in the playoffs and Buffalo has won the previous three series. The clubs faced off in last year's conference semifinals and Buffalo won that set in five games.

Ottawa was 25-13-3 as the home team during the regular season, while the Sabres posted an excellent 25-12-4 mark as the visiting club.

If the Senators are unable to close out this series tonight then the teams will get together Saturday afternoon in Buffalo.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070513/Anton_72746.jpg

[Amoroq]

If ever there was a time for a let down, this is the game. But even if the Sabres win tonight, its over, the Sens are going to the final.

[Man.Utd]

We were down 3-0 to Buffalo last year and won game 4 when we were facing elimination. I could see the same happening tonight but I can't see us losing the series now.

[Madferret]

Sabres win to extend series with Sens
Canadian Press

OTTAWA (CP) - The Buffalo Sabres survived to play another day.

Derek Roy scored nine seconds into the game as the Sabres staved off an NHL playoff sweep with a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.

''It just lifted the spirit of the whole team,'' said Roy.

Ottawa leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final 3-1 and will have a another chance to clinch its first ever berth in the Stanley Cup final in Game 5 on Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. If not then, they'll be back in Ottawa for Game 6 next Monday.

Maxim Afinogenov and Chris Drury added goals in the second frame as the Sabres got three past Ray Emery on their first 10 shots.

''It was a gutsy effort for us and the gutsy efforts are not going to stop at one - it's going to keep going,'' added Buffalo defenceman Brian Campbell.

Dean McAmmond and Peter Schaefer responded late in the second for Ottawa, but they couldn't get the equalizer past Ryan Miller. Other than that one brief letdown, Miller had a second straight big game in the Buffalo net as Ottawa outshot the Sabres 33-22.

What remains to be seen is whether it is the start of an improbable comeback by Buffalo and or a brief blip in Ottawa's surge toward the Stanley Cup final.

The Sabres are trying to become only the third team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series - after the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders.

The early goal drew a gasp from the record Scotiabank Centre crowd of 20,294 and forced the Senators to play catch-up hockey, which led to uncharacteristic mistakes by a team that has played patient hockey throughout the post-season.

''We did things we hadn't done in the whole series - trying stretch passes and things like that,'' said Ottawa coach Bryan Murray. ''That was partly from being behind and partly from the way Buffalo played.

''That's hockey, you do mostly good things and you don't win. That's why we play best-of-seven.''

The Senators shut out Buffalo 1-0 in Game 3 on Monday, when all a flat Sabres team could boast of was Miller's fine play in net and a solid penalty killing effort.

This time, there was more energetic checking and shot-blocking. The Sabres led 18-8 in blocks.

Afinogenov scored on a two-man advantage for Buffalo's first power-play goal of the series and now it's Ottawa whose power play has gone cold, not scoring in 12 opportunities in the last two games.

It wasn't from lack of chances, but the top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley was shut out, ending their nine-game points streaks.

''It was more a case of us not burying our chances,'' said Alfredsson, whose five-game goal-scoring streak died. ''We created quite a bit and our power play was better than the last game, but we couldn't get one.''

The Senators were seeking their first playoff series sweep. Instead, they ended their six-game winning run.

Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff did some line juggling and found a winning combination in Roy, Drury and Tim Connolly.

Off the opening faceoff, Andrei Meszaros' clearing pass hit Roy's skate and was kept in at the blue-line by Drury, whose pass was redirected in at the side of the net at the nine-second mark.

It was the fastest playoff goal from the start of a game in Sabres history, beating a Henrik Tallinder goal last year at 33 seconds, but short of the NHL record of six seconds by Dan Kozak of Los Angeles in 1977.

Buffalo took further heart in killing three Senators' power plays in the period, even if they were outplayed at even strength.

The Sabres got a two-man advantage early in the second frame with Chris Neil and McAmmond off and Afinogenov converted a Daniel Briere pass at the side of the net at 4:32.

Emery was shaky as Drury made it 3-0 with a shot off the rush at 8:06 that found an opening under the goaltender's arm. It was the Sabres' co-captain's 15th career playoff game-winning goal.

''You look at that as one the goalie might want back, but it was a huge goal,'' said Ruff.

The Senators looked beat, the crowd quieted, but they came to life when Meszaros' shot went off a leg to McAmmond for a quick shot inside the near post at 14:55.

Less than two minutes later, with heavy pressure in the Buffalo zone, Schaefer scored his first goal of the playoffs on a blast from the slot off a feed from behind the net by Mike Comrie.

That set the stage for some wild pressure in the third period, particularly during an Ottawa power play in that produced several hot chances but no goals. Drury was on for the entire two-minute penalty kill.

''A the end of the second we could have packed it in and said `this is too tough,' '' said Miller. ''But we kept battling.

''I think we did a good job of frustrating them.'' Notes: - Dainius Zubrus, who missed practice Tuesday and the morning skate on Wednesday with a ''lower body injury,'' was in the Buffalo lineup. Neither team made roster changes. . . Ottawa's Martin Gerber has a shot at winning a Stanley Cup as a backup goalie for a second straight year. He did it last year playing behind Cam Ward with Carolina.

[Madferret]

Senators reach Stanley Cup final
TSN.ca Staff

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CP) - Will the third time be a charm for Canada?

Captain Daniel Alfredsson scored 9:32 into overtime Saturday to give the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres that wrapped up the Eastern Conference final in five games, and booked them a trip to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since re-entering the league in 1992.

Alfredsson, arguably the best player in this year's NHL playoffs, beat Ryan Miller with a low shot just inside the post on the glove side, stunning a sellout crowd of 18,690 at HSBC Arena.

The Senators hope to achieve what Calgary (2004) and Edmonton (2006) just failed to do in the last two championship series, bring the Cup home to Canada.

The old Senators did just that 80 years ago in 1927. No Canadian team has won Lord Stanley's prize since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.

Ottawa, unlike the Flames and Oilers, won't be going into the Cup final as a big underdog. They polished off the President's Trophy winners in five games, serving notice to either Detroit or Anaheim what awaits them in the final series.

Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley also scored for the Senators, who ran their playoff record to an impressive 12-3 - winning all three of their playoff series in five games.

Maxim Afinogenov and Jochen Hecht scored for the Sabres, who will have a President's Trophy banner hanging down from the rafters at HSBC Arena next season but not the one they've dreamed of since coming into the league in 1970 - a Cup banner.

And big questions now follow the Sabres into the off-season with star centres Chris Drury and Daniel Briere both slated for unrestricted free agency July 1. Did they play their last game in a Sabres uniform Saturday?

Buffalo fans get knocked for their fatalist attitude but they were rocking Saturday, trying to push their team to a sixth game.

An electric atmosphere didn't translate into electric hockey early on, both teams somewhat tentative in a scoreless first period, the Sabres not registering their first shot on goal until eight minutes in.

Shots were 7-7 after 20 minutes but the best chance wasn't a shot, Ottawa defenceman Anton Volchenkov saving a sure goal when he dove to stop Derek Roy's attempt at an empty net seven minutes into the game.

Hecht got the 18,690 fans out of their seats 4:30 into the second period, jumping on a loose puck after a broken play in front of Emery, knocking in a backhand past Emery to give Buffalo the much-needed first goal it craved.

Ottawa got a great chance to get back into it moments later with a 5-on-3 power play for 48 seconds, but a big shot block from Drury and a crossbar hit by Spezza kept it 1-0 as Sabres fans roared their approval.

But as has been the case for most of the series, the Sabres couldn't contain Ottawa's star-studded big line.

First Spezza grabbed a rebound and slid a pass over to Heatley who deposited into the empty side at 15:41. Then a beauty, Alfredsson with a nifty feed to Spezza on a 2-on-1 with only 39 seconds to go in the middle period, as Spezza went down to one knee for the old fist pump the air got sucked out of HSBC Arena.

The Sabres, however, didn't back down in the third period and were handed a glorious chance to tie it with a 5-on-3 man advantage for 1:30, and they didn't waste it.

Afinogenov slipped in a rebound at the side of the net at 10:58, a goal that blew the roof off HSBC Arena.

Moments earlier Drury took a Tim Connolly point shot in the face and headed straight to the dressing room. He did not return until two minutes into the overtime session.

The Sabres got another power play with just over seven minutes to play in the third period but it was Ottawa that came closest to scoring, Antoine Vermette hitting the outside of the post on a partial break.

The fans didn't back down with their boisterous support, singing along to Bon Jovi's ''Living On A Prayer'' with less than five minutes to go in the game, their beloved team's season very much living on a prayer.

Another Sabres power play with 2:50 to go in the third failed to yield a goal, producing the second overtime game of the series.

Buffalo went 1-for-7 on the power play and ended the series 2-for-29, a major reason for the Sabres' downfall.

Notes: Game 1 hero Oleg Saprykin was a healthy scratch for Ottawa, replaced by Patrick Eaves, who had been out since sustaining a head injury in Game 3 of the Senators' first-round series with Pittsburgh. Tough guy Brian McGrattan and defenceman Lawrence Nycholat were the other notable scratches . Forward Dainius Zubrus (lower body) was out for Buffalo, replaced in the lineup by rookie Drew Stafford. Forward Daniel Paille and tough guy Andrew Peters were healthy scratches.

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070519/sens_64682.jpg

[Rusty]

As much as I hate them, Kudos to making it to the finals.

[MadDevil]

Congrats to the Sens on making it to the Finals. Now keep the Cup in the East.:thumb:

[KB in Kelowna]

Congrats to the Sens on making it to the Finals. Now keep the Cup in the East.:thumb:
I would ammend that to say bring the Cup back to Canada:thumb: Congratulations to the Sens and their fine fans!

[MadDevil]

I would ammend that to say bring the Cup back to Canada:thumb: Congratulations to the Sens and their fine fans!

On second thought I may have to consider cheering for a Western team now that you mentioned the "bring the Cup back to Canada" thing. Just to further annoy the Canadian hockey fans.:nod: :D

Although then I can't use the "Devils lost to the Cup champs" excuse. Decisions, decisions...

[charlio lemieux]

I don't care about keeping the cup in Canada or the East. The division of power between the East and west this year is a perfect example of why the league should go to 1st v 16th when it comes to the playoffs. The West had atleast 5 serious contenders and the East only two. Ducks or Wings I don't care I like them both. Although Ottawa is looking almost unbeatable right now.

[THE HACK]

Congrats Sens for making the Finals!:) In the 29 yrs I've been rooting for my team they haven't even made it to the Finals so for you Sens fans enjoy this moment.

Out of the East the Sens have had the toughest journey and deserve to be where they are.Even in the 1st round this team had to play the Pens all because the lowly Thrashers won their division so they got seeded higher than the Sens.Point being the Sens had to go through the hardest teams and didn't get a free ride.

I sure as hell don't want Detroit or the Brian Burke Ducks winning the cup so that leaves the Sens as the team of choice.Go Sens!:)

For the record there are lots of Leaf fans here out West and even all my Leaf buddies out here are rooting for the Sens.

Cheers

[Amoroq]

What is so cool and actually amazing is there are only 6 Canadian teams in the NHL and 2 years in a row one of them represented Canada in the finals. I think we need Daryl to run the numbers on this.

Go Sens bring her home!

[KB in Kelowna]

What is so cool and actually amazing is there are only 6 Canadian teams in the NHL and 2 years in a row one of them represented Canada in the finals. I think we need Daryl to run the numbers on this.

Go Sens bring her home!
Actually it is 3 finals in a row a Canadian based team has made it. Of the three Ottawa is the only one not a Cinderella run and probably has the best chance to win it, in my opinion.

[Amoroq]

Actually it is 3 finals in a row a Canadian based team has made it. Of the three Ottawa is the only one not a Cinderella run and probably has the best chance to win it, in my opinion.

I'm forgetting Calgary aren't I? Sorry flamers :o

[Amoroq]

For Sportsnet writer Alan Adams

http://dolighan.com/images/jpgs/sportsmay1707c.jpg

[Max Power]

lol love that picture

Well this is what being a sports fan is all about I guess. Watching your team battle it out for the trophy that defines you as having the best team. More specifically watching your team play hockey in June =]
Anyways it's been a great ride and I hope they can pull it off and bring the cup to Canada. Let's hope the 3rd time a charm theory works for the third Canadian team going for the cup in a row.

[Madferret]

Alfredsson fulfilling leadership role
Canadian Press

OTTAWA (CP) - Dany Heatley said it best Monday.

Of all the players to score the biggest goal in the Senators' modern history, it was captain Daniel Alfredsson whose overtime winner against the Buffalo Sabres vaulted Ottawa to its first appearance in the Stanley Cup final.

After all, it's the 34-year-old Swede who's been the face of the Senators' franchise through its highs and lows. And, prior to this playoff run, it's been mostly the lows that he's had to answer for.

''It was fitting to see him score that goal,'' Heatley said after the Senators returned to practice for the first time since eliminating the Sabres in the Eastern Conference final two days earlier.

''Alfie's our leader. All the criticism he's got in the past a it was great to see,'' centre Jason Spezza added. ''Hopefully, he's still got more magic in him.''

The Senators now await the winner of the Western Conference final between the Anaheim Ducks and the Detroit Red Wings. The Ducks lead the best-of-seven matchup 3-2 heading into Tuesday's game at Anaheim.

Although Alfredsson said Monday the Senators' job isn't done yet - ''When you come this far, it would be devastating not to win,'' he said - getting to this point has been a long time coming.

He's played in every playoff game in the Senators' franchise history over 10 straight post-season appearances without so much as a trip to the final.

He's got that now.

''It was a great day yesterday,'' said Alfredsson, who called Saturday's goal the ''biggest'' of his career. ''I watched a period of the (Ducks-Red Wings) game and knowing that we were there already made it really interesting.''

And whichever team does emerge from the Western Conference can do so knowing it will have to contend with an Ottawa team that has followed an inspired lead.

The line of Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson ranks 1-2-3, respectively, in playoff scoring and has been dominant in series victories over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New Jersey Devils and now the Sabres.

Alfredsson, with a league-high 10 goals so far, including an NHL-best four game-winners, has managed to not only carry the Senators further than they've ever gone before, but he's silenced plenty of critics along the way.

It was just six months ago when, with Ottawa struggling to even reach the .500 mark, Alfredsson was the subject of trade rumours that had him being shipped to the Los Angeles Kings. In addition, a growing number of fans in the nation's capital were calling for him to relinquish the captaincy.

These days, he's the toast of the town.

''Alfie's a guy who's maybe misread sometimes,'' Senators general manager John Muckler said when he met with the media on Sunday. ''He cares, he cares a lot. You could tell in January when the club started to play better that this guy was on a mission.''

That mission was to erase the Senators' history of underachieving in the playoffs compared to their stellar regular-season records.

Many believed things would finally be righted last season when the Senators cruised through the regular season, but they were knocked out by the Sabres in the second round.

It didn't help Alfredsson's stature as a leader when it was him who Buffalo's Jason Pominville skated around to score a shorthanded OT winner in the deciding game.

So when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly presented Alfredsson with the Prince of Wales Trophy on Saturday evening, it was indeed fitting.

''I was real happy for him,'' Senators coach Bryan Murray said Monday. ''(But) I didn't point the finger as strongly as many people did at him for the previous year.''

At this rate, should the Senators go on to win the Stanley Cup, Alfredsson will likely be in line for more finger pointing as the one singled out when its time for NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to hand over the Conn Smythe Trophy.

''He's playing and getting rewarded for his efforts,'' Murray said. ''He's certainly, at this point in time, been the best performer in the playoffs.''

http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20070420/senators_45385.jpg

[Madferret]

Thumbs down to the Senators' doubters
Dave Hodge

Thumbs down to the many stories I read that wondered if the Ottawa Senators' playoff history had been unearthed when they were unable to sweep Buffalo.

It wasn't really suggested that the Sabres could come back and win four straight games, but the Senators were supposedly capable of losing four in a row, because they're the Senators.

But anybody who watched the Senators win 11 playoff games to that point, while losing only three, should have known better than to paint them with their past. And no matter what they do in the Stanley Cup Final, there is no longer any "same old" with these Senators. They have accomplished that much already.

Thumbs up to the Senators for the way they reacted to five straight third-period penalties Saturday. If you were looking for Ottawa's glue to be dripping, that was the time it might have showed.

In fact, not only were they not undone by those penalties, they might have won precisely because of the last one they took.

Had Mike Comrie not taken a delay-of-game penalty for sliding into the net, the puck probably would have gone where he did to put Buffalo ahead with less than three minutes to go.

If Comrie wants to take credit for stopping play deliberately, he could share the hero's role with Daniel Alfredsson, but it seems he thought the penalty was most unfair. Today, he argues while he winks, I'm sure.

Though you've heard this before, you should hear it again.

Thumbs up in equal amounts to the people of Buffalo and the Sabres - they remain the feel-good story of this hockey season.

However, it's easier for the rest of us to feel good about them than it is for them.

For most of the season, the belief that this was Buffalo's time was written all over the city and the team. Last season's Sabres could have won with a healthy defence, and this year's Sabres should have won based on much of the evidence.

Next year's Sabres must be viewed through a bunch of question marks right now, so the letdown only begins to explain the feeling in Buffalo today.

[Madferret]

Waters on June 3rd...Game 4 on June 4th!

[Darsehole Tucker]

This layoff is killing me.

[Max Power]

This layoff is killing me.

Ya I was thinking the same... 10 days is crazy

[Darsehole Tucker]

I was wondering why they didn't go for a saturday night start. That would have made sense to me. Seems strange to wait until a weeknight.

[Max Power]

I was wondering why they didn't go for a saturday night start. That would have made sense to me. Seems strange to wait until a weeknight.

I heard Anaheim had the weekend booked at the arena for a skate show. To me it should be too bad so sad. Ottawa is canceling a Rogers Water show (or changing it) for the Saturday game. Anyways I agree as the cup schedule never changes. It's always Monday Wend Sat so teams should be prepared for that.
Anyway it’s more of whine since we don’t get hockey this Sat =]

[Madferret]

Is it Monday yet?

[Darsehole Tucker]

Is it Monday yet?

I was thinking about this again last night, about how the layoff sucks. But then it occurred to me....would I rather have to wait until Oct.10th instead?

[Madferret]

I was thinking about this again last night, about how the layoff sucks. But then it occurred to me....would I rather have to wait until Oct.10th instead?

lol
touche