Canadiens end Senators’ fairy-tale season, advance to Round 2
Only one team during the 2014-15 NHL regular season and playoffs had avoided being shutout before Sunday. The Montreal Canadiens made sure to finally add the Ottawa Senators to that list.
The Canadiens advanced to the second round after a 2-0 win in Game 6 against the Senators Sunday night. Montreal now waits to play the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning-Detroit Red Wings series.
After storming out to a 3-0 series lead, the Canadiens failed to close out Ottawa in Games 4 and 5, thanks to some stellar netminding from Craig Anderson. In Game 6, Brendan Gallagher opened the scoring 13:26 into first period and never looked back:
Once the Canadiens grabbed the lead, they sat on it. Over the game’s final 40 minutes, Montreal recorded only six shots, while the Senators pressed for an equalizer, throwing 30 at Carey Price, who stopped them all and finished with 43 saves.
The even strength scoring chances differed by a wide margin beginning in the second period. Here’s what it looked like in graph form, via War on Ice:
As they had done during the regular season, the Senators didn’t quit and the fans inside Canadian Tire Centre were sure a tying goal was coming. Ottawa had shown a knack for finding some magic when they needed it most, which is how they played their way into the postseason over the last two months.
So when Montreal’s Jacob de la Rose took a penalty with 3:14 left in the third period, the Senators had their opportunity. But, as he was all game, Price was there to deny Ottawa a goal, making nine stops and preserving the victory. Montreal would add an empty-net goal with 0.3 seconds left, the only time in the series they led by more than a goal.
The one moment that the Senators will be unable to forget was the quick whistle in the second period which cost Jean-Gabriel Pageau the tying goal. Referee Chris Lee, stationed to Price’s left, thought the Canadiens netminder had frozen the puck after a Mark Borowiecki shot and blew the play dead. Replays showed Price never had possession, but from Lee’s angle he couldn’t see the loose puck.
It was a tough break for Ottawa, but it was also an MVP performance by Price.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
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