GAME THREAD: NHL: OTTAWA (12-4) at ANAHEIM (13-4)

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS
OTTAWA 0
ANAHEIM 1 3:10 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS
OTTAWA 0
ANAHEIM 1 1:37 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS
OTTAWA 0
ANAHEIM 1 0:40 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
OTTAWA 0 0 0 0
ANAHEIM 0 0 1 1 FINAL

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: NONE
2ND PRD: NONE
3RD PRD: ANA - SAMUEL PAHLSSON 3 (UNASSISTED) 14:16

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: OTT - 0 OF 4, ANA - 0 OF 4.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
OTT 7 4 5 16
ANA 12 14 5 31

GOALIES: OTT - RAY EMERY
ANA - JEAN-SEBASTIEN GIGUERE

OFFICIALS: REF - BILL MCCREARY, BRAD WATSON
LIN - JAY SHARRERS, SCOTT DRISCOLL

ATT: 17,258</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

------------------------------------
Ottawa 0 0 0 --0
Anaheim 0 0 1 --1
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Comrie, Ott (boarding), 2:17; A Miller,
Ana (interference), 5:40; A Volchenkov, Ott (boarding), 8:05; S
Thornton, Ana (charging), 12:31; C Pronger, Ana (slashing), 13:24.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: T Preissing, Ott (tripping), 18:04; A
Mcdonald, Ana (hooking), 19:36.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Anaheim, Samuel Pahlsson 3 (Unassisted),
14:16.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Ottawa 7 4 5 --16
Anaheim 12 14 5 --31
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Ottawa - 0 of 4, Anaheim - 0 of 4. Goalies :
Ottawa, Ray Emery (31 shots, 30 saves; record: 12-5-0). Anaheim,
Jean-Sebastien Giguere (16 shots, 16 saves; record: 11-3-0). A:
17,258. Referees: Bill Mccreary, Brad Watson. Linesmen: Jay Sharrers,
Scott Driscoll.</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS


** CONFIRMED **
NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS
OTTAWA 0
ANAHEIM 1</div>

 

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Samuel Pahlsson must have beenjealous of linemate Travis Moen.

Pahlsson scored at 14:16 of the third period and Jean-SebastienGiguere made 16 saves as the Anaheim Ducks posted a 1-0 victoryover the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday to take atwo-games-to-none lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The series shifts to Scotiabank Place for Game Three onSaturday.

In Game One, Pahlsson watched as checking-line mate Moen snappeda 2-2 tie late in the third to give the Ducks a triumph. Thistime, the Selke Trophy finalist decided to steal the spotlight.

Dany Heatley turned over the puck in the neutral zone toPahlsson, who carried down the right wing. Ottawa captainDaniel Alfredsson elected to let his fellow Swede skate byuntouched at the blue line, and it proved to be a crucial errorin judgment.

After pulling up in the right faceoff circle, Pahlsson wristed ashot between the legs of defenseman Joe Corvo. The puck sailedpast goaltender Ray Emery and just inside the left goalpost forPahlsson's third goal of the postseason.

Giguere turned aside seven shots in the first period, four inthe second and five in the third for his first shutout thispostseason and sixth of his playoff career.

The Senators came out fast and hard in the first period,delivering a number of crunching checks on the physicallysuperior Ducks. Anaheim captain Scott Niedermayer was crushedin the opening minute, while Chris Kelly hammered Corey Perrywith a bruising hit along the boards.

Mike Comrie also got into the act but was a bit overzealous, ashis hit on defenseman Francois Beauchemin just 2:17 into theopening period earned him a boarding penalty.

It was the first of three calls against Ottawa, which also hadthree power plays in the period, including a 5-on-3 that lasted67 seconds. The Senators generated the majority of theirchances with the man advantage, recording six of their sevenshots in the session with the extra skater.

In fact, Ottawa did not register its first shot of the gameuntil 7:42, when Mike Fisher fired a wrister at Giguere.

The Ducks had plenty of opportunities in the first 20 minutesbut were unable to get anything past Emery, who left quite a fewjuicy rebounds. Teemu Selanne was denied on a rebound chancefrom in front just 32 seconds into the contest, and Ryan Getzlafhad his shot from in close with 11 1/2 minutes remaining turnedaside.

Emery had another busy period in the second as the Ducks outshotthe Senators, 14-4. But again, Anaheim could not breakthrough, hurting its own chance when Andy McDonald negated apower play by taking a hooking penalty with 24 seconds to go.

Comrie, who was dazed by an elbow from Beauchemin in the secondsession, had an opportunity to cash in during the man advantage,but his wrister at 85 seconds into the third was stopped byGiguere.

With a surplus of fans from his native Finland in attendance,Selanne nearly snapped the scoreless tie two minutes later witha redirection at the top of the crease. But the puck hit thecrossbar and fell into the blue paint before Emery smothered itwith his glove.

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

------------------------------------
Ottawa 0 0 0 --0
Anaheim 0 0 1 --1
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Comrie, Ott (boarding), 2:17; A Miller,
Ana (interference), 5:40; A Volchenkov, Ott (boarding), 8:05; S
Thornton, Ana (charging), 12:31; C Pronger, Ana (slashing), 13:24.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: T Preissing, Ott (tripping), 18:04; A
Mcdonald, Ana (hooking), 19:36.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Anaheim, Samuel Pahlsson 3 (Unassisted),
14:16.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Ottawa 7 4 5 --16
Anaheim 12 14 5 --31
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Ottawa - 0 of 4, Anaheim - 0 of 4. Goalies :
Ottawa, Ray Emery (31 shots, 30 saves; record: 12-5-0). Anaheim,
Jean-Sebastien Giguere (16 shots, 16 saves; record: 11-3-0). A:
17,258. Referees: Bill Mccreary, Brad Watson. Linesmen: Jay Sharrers,
Scott Driscoll.</div>

 

NHL: OTTAWA at ANAHEIM

<div class="pre">STANLEY CUP FINALS

-----------------------------------------
OTTAWA 0 0 0 --0
ANAHEIM 0 0 1 --1
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: M Comrie, Ott (boarding), 2:17; A Miller,
Ana (interference), 5:40; A Volchenkov, Ott (boarding), 8:05; S
Thornton, Ana (charging), 12:31; C Pronger, Ana (slashing), 13:24.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: T Preissing, Ott (tripping), 18:04; A
Mcdonald, Ana (hooking), 19:36.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Anaheim, Samuel Pahlsson 3 (Unassisted),
14:16.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
OTTAWA 7 4 5 --16
ANAHEIM 12 14 5 --31
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: OTT - 0 of 4, ANA - 0 of 4. Goalies : Ottawa,
Ray Emery (31 shots, 30 saves; record: 12-5-0). Anaheim,
Jean-Sebastien Giguere (16 shots, 16 saves; record: 11-3-0). A:
17,258. Referees: Bill Mccreary, Brad Watson. Linesmen: Jay Sharrers,
Scott Driscoll.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

OTTAWA ANAHEIM
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
D Alfredsson 0 0 -1 2 C Perry 0 0 even 4
M Fisher 0 0 even 1 R Getzlaf 0 0 even 3
A Meszaros 0 0 even 0 D Penner 0 0 even 1
D Heatley 0 0 -1 2 A Miller 0 0 even 2
J Spezza 0 0 -1 2 A McDonald 0 0 even 1
A Vermette 0 0 even 0 S O'Donnell 0 0 even 0
C Kelly 0 0 even 0 T Marchant 0 0 even 2
A Volchenkov 0 0 even 0 F Beauchemin 0 0 even 3
C Neil 0 0 even 0 B May 0 0 even 1
P Schaefer 0 0 even 1 C Pronger 0 0 +1 2
D McAmmond 0 0 even 0 S Pahlsson 1 0 +1 2
C Phillips 0 0 even 0 S Niedermayer 0 0 +1 1
T Preissing 0 0 -1 1 T Moen 0 0 +1 2
C Schubert 0 0 even 0 K Huskins 0 0 even 0
W Redden 0 0 even 1 R Niedermayer 0 0 +1 4
O Saprykin 0 0 even 1 S Thornton 0 0 even 0
J Corvo 0 0 -1 2 R Jackman 0 0 even 0
M Comrie 0 0 even 3 T Selanne 0 0 even 3
B McGrattan HEALTHY J DiPenta HEALTHY
L Nycholat HEALTHY S Caron HEALTHY
P Eaves HEALTHY M Hartigan HEALTHY
A Rome HEALTHY
G Parros HEALTHY
C Kunitz BROKEN HAND
R Shannon HEALTHY</div>

 

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Samuel Pahlsson must have beenjealous of linemate Travis Moen.

Pahlsson scored at 14:16 of the third period and Jean-SebastienGiguere made 16 saves as the Anaheim Ducks posted a 1-0 victoryover the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday to take atwo-games-to-none lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The series shifts to Scotiabank Place for Game Three onSaturday.

"It's a place where we're really tough to play against and wefeel confident," Senators goaltender Ray Emery said. "As muchas you would have liked to come away here with a win, we battledhard, we took the body tonight, I thought, especially well andhopefully broke them down to bring them back to our building."

"It's the Stanley Cup Finals, it's not going to be easy,"Ottawa's Dany Heatley added. "We obviously put ourselves in a2-0 hole here, but we're going home Saturday. We have two daysto get ready for it and come out in front of our fans."

In Game One, Pahlsson watched as checking-line mate Moen snappeda 2-2 tie late in the third to give the Ducks a triumph. Thistime, the Selke Trophy finalist decided to steal the spotlight.

"They spark us. They did an unbelievable job tonight," Anaheimright wing Teemu Selanne said of the team's checking unit. "Idon't know what to say about those guys. They've beenunbelievable all year. I'm happy that so many more people aregetting to see how good they are (in the Finals)."

Heatley turned over the puck in the neutral zone to Pahlsson,who carried down the right wing. Ottawa captain DanielAlfredsson elected to let his fellow Swede skate by untouched atthe blue line, and it proved to be a crucial error in judgment.

After pulling up in the right faceoff circle, Pahlsson wristed ashot between the legs of defenseman Joe Corvo. The puck sailedpast Emery and just inside the left goalpost for Pahlsson'sthird goal of the postseason and second game-winner.

"I skated down the wing and stepped once inside and shot itthrough the legs of the defenseman," said Pahlsson, who alsonetted the series clincher in Game Six of the Western Conferencefinals against Detroit. "That's what we try to do all thetime, we try to make them turn the puck over. That's the bestpossible scenario for us, to get turnovers on the blue line."

"Sitting on the bench in the third period, we felt that if wekept on playing our game - getting the puck in deep, playingphysical, cycling the puck - that we would eventually get a puckby them," Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger said.

Pahlsson also won 10 of the 12 faceoffs he took, but he was morethrilled with the team win than any individual accomplishments.

"Of course, it's fun to score the goal," he said. "The mostimportant thing is to win the game, but it's great to score thegoal. But it's always about winning in the playoffs. Itdoesn't really matter who does it."

"It was a great shot," Senators coach Bryan Murray said. "Hegot Corvo turned around. He tried to do something with hisstick, got spun and (Pahlsson) used Corvo as a screen and hitinside the post. Great shot. Good play on his part."

Giguere turned aside seven shots in the first period, four inthe second and five in the third for his first shutout thispostseason and sixth of his playoff career.

"I don't know how much more I can say about this guy," Selannesaid. "He's unbelievable. The bigger challenge for him, thebetter he plays."

The Senators came out fast and hard in the first period,delivering a number of crunching checks on the physicallysuperior Ducks. Anaheim captain Scott Niedermayer was crushedin the opening minute, while Chris Kelly hammered Corey Perrywith a bruising hit along the boards.

"I thought we got some great hits right off the bat," Murraysaid. "We had some tempo and motion and we skated better.Unfortunately, we didn't get many chances on goal, but there wassome energy in the building and there was some energy in ourdressing room."

Mike Comrie also got into the act but was a bit overzealous, ashis hit on defenseman Francois Beauchemin just 2:17 into theopening period earned him a boarding penalty.

It was the first of three calls against Ottawa, which also hadthree power plays in the period, including a 5-on-3 that lasted67 seconds. The Senators generated the majority of theirchances with the man advantage, recording six of their sevenshots in the session with the extra skater.

"I hadn't had many shots at that point, and I just wanted tomake sure that I would approach it with a lot of energy,"Giguere said of the 5-on-3. "I just tried to go through it asgood as I could. I was able to do the first save and guys wereon the rebound right away. We got pretty fortunate that we wereable to get out of that one with no goal."

It was the second time in as many games the Ducks were forced tokill a 5-on-3 of more than a minute. In the series opener, theSenators had a two-man advantage for 95 seconds but could notconvert.

"Someone said a long time ago, if you don't score on those, itcomes back to bite you," Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden said."We've had our chances in the last two games and haven't(scored). It would have made a huge difference in the outcome."

"We have to stop taking penalties like that, especially goingdown 5-on-3," Giguere said. "We can't afford to do that everygame. It's going to end up costing us some goals eventually."

The Ducks, who improved to 11-2 in one-goal games thispostseason, had plenty of opportunities in the first 20 minutesbut were unable to get anything past Emery, who left quite a fewjuicy rebounds. Selanne was denied on a rebound chance from infront just 32 seconds into the contest, and Ryan Getzlaf hadhis shot from in close with 11 1/2 minutes remaining turnedaside.

Emery had another busy period in the second as the Ducks outshotthe Senators, 14-4. But again, Anaheim could not breakthrough, hurting its own chance when Andy McDonald negated apower play by taking a hooking penalty with 24 seconds to go.

"They played well, but even though they had puck possession, wedid a good job keeping them to the outside," Emery said. "It'snot like (they had) 2-on-1s or breakaways or anything like that.It was straight shots. They got a lot of traffic, but westill did a good job of defensive-zone coverage."

"I don't know whether it was a close game or not," Murray said."We had some chances, (but) they outshot us. But I thoughtoverall, we skated better, at least."

Comrie, who was dazed by an elbow from Beauchemin in the secondsession, had an opportunity to cash in during the man advantage,but his wrister at 85 seconds into the third was stopped byGiguere.

With a surplus of fans from his native Finland in attendance,Selanne nearly snapped the scoreless tie two minutes later witha redirection at the top of the crease. But the puck hit thecrossbar and fell into the blue paint before Emery smothered itwith his glove.

Although split up at times Wednesday, the Senators' top line ofAlfredsson, Heatley and Jason Spezza again was kept off thescoresheet at even strength. The trio, which recorded twopower-play assists in Game One, had been held without a pointjust one previous time this postseason - Game Four of theEastern Conference finals against Buffalo.

"I was trying to get Alfredsson with (Mike) Fisher at parts ofthe game to get away from the checking (line) and the pair ofdefensemen that they like to play against the Spezza line,"Murray said. "That's basically it. ... We had some good shifts,but obviously, when you don't score goals, it means verylittle."

"We're not going to score every night," Heatley said. "We'dlike to, obviously. We just have to keep doing what we do best,generate chances. They have a very defensive style, very goodchecking line, good defensemen. It's up to us to find ways toscore goals."

Ducks coach Randy Carlyle was not surprised by the in-game lineswitches of his counterpart.

"In this game, when you're at this juncture of the season, youhave to be prepared to make adjustments," Carlyle said. "Theymade an adjustment, and then we tried to counter. That's partof the game. That's part of the strategy that you put inplace."