Post by TOMGUNNER on May 18, 2003 21:23:16 GMT -5
Sens remain optimistic despite deficit
The Canadian Press
5/18/2003
OTTAWA (CP) - Their star players aren't scoring, their goaltender has sprung leaks and now the Ottawa Senators must confront their history - they are 0-6 all-time when facing playoff elimination.
The New Jersey Devils, riding a three-game winning streak, take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 of the best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference final at the Corel Centre on Monday night (CBC, 7 p.m. EDT).
``Absolutely, we believe we can win,'' defenceman Curtis Leschyshyn said Sunday, when the Senators didn't skate but held a 30-minute team meeting to ponder their predicament.
Related Info
Sens' off-day preps
Sens/Devils analysis
Breaking down the 'D'
``It's a huge game for us and we will respond. You don't get to this point without being a successful team. What we've done all year gives us confidence that we can continue to win hockey games. We haven't got here by fluke. We were the best team in the league all year and we played well in the playoffs up to this point.''
The Senators finished first overall in the 30-team NHL with 113 points and roared through the first two rounds of the playoffs against the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.
But after winning the opening game of the conference final in overtime against New Jersey, the Senators have looked too much like the Ottawa teams of recent seasons that bowed out meekly in the playoffs against tougher, more determined opponents.
The Sens' vaunted trio of right-wingers - Marian Hossa, Daniel Alfredsson and Martin Havlat - has yet to score against the Devils. Each has one assist. Ottawa's scoring leader in the series is centre Bryan Smolinski with two assists.
It hasn't helped that their usually dangerous power play is 0-for-15 against New Jersey.
``You can't compare the (Senators) teams from different situations,'' said Alfredsson, the team captain who managed only one shot on net in two games in New Jersey - a 1-0 loss last Thursday and a 5-2 loss on Saturday.
``This is a different team. This year, teams have come back from 3-1 deficits. Minnesota did it twice, which never happened before. As long as you believe, anything can happen. And we definitely believe.
``We're in a corner right now, but we're still confident that we can win this series,'' he added.
The Senators' optimism stems from the first two periods on Saturday, when they outworked the Devils to take a 2-1 lead.
But when goaltender Patrick Lalime gave up a soft goal to Jay Pandolfo late in the second frame, the legs went out of the Senators. New Jersey piled on three more goals in the third.
Lalime, a rock in the net through the first two rounds, has let in 12 goals in the four games and has a feeble .879 save percentage against New Jersey.
``I can stand for my actions,'' Lalime said of being fingered as the culprit for Saturday's loss. ``I know what happened.
``It was a weird game. They got some funny goals. But that's the way it goes. When things go your way, it's great but when it goes bad, you just want to bounce back from it.''
At the other end of the rink, Martin Brodeur has let in only six goals in the series and has a .947 save percentage.
The Devils are 8-0 in series in which they have taken a 3-1 lead, including twice this year against Boston and Tampa Bay, when they finished off their opponents in five games.
Should they do the same to Ottawa, they will start the Stanley Cup final against the Western Conference champion Anaheim Mighty Ducks at home on Friday night.
``We refuse to talk about that and we won't,'' said Devils coach Pat Burns. ``That word (Anaheim) hasn't even been mentioned.''
Brodeur, whose team arrived at their Aylmer, Que., hotel late Sunday afternoon, recalled the 2000 Eastern Conference final, when the Devils came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Philadelphia en route to the Stanley Cup.
``I look at them and I see what we accomplished in 2000,'' said Brodeur. ``Our backs were to the wall.
``We did it, so by experience, we know it's possible. We've seen other teams do it. It's one of those years in the playoffs.''
``Nothing is guaranteed,'' added defenceman Scott Stevens. ``We're playing a team that had the best record all year.
``I know they've put three wins together before. Not in the playoffs, but we know it's possible.''
There has been speculation that Ottawa might try to change the flow by bringing new faces into the lineup. Defenceman Shane Hnidy, tough guy Rob Ray, left-winger Jody Hull and talented young centre Jason Spezza have yet to play in the series.
Coach Jacques Martin wasn't tipping his hat about roster changes, nor was he about to join the chorus of critics blaming the Sens' top guns for not scoring.
The Devils' top scorer in the series is checking winger Pandolfo, who has three goals, plus one that went in but wasn't counted in Game 3.
``You look for those players to score, but you look (for goals) from everyone,'' said Martin. ``Look at Pandolfo for New Jersey.
``It doesn't matter who scores. What matters is winning the game.''
Martin has dropped the relaxed, confident manner he had when the series started for an all-business approach.
On Sunday, an Ottawa columnist speculated that the seventh-year head coach may be on his way out if the Senators lose the series.
But there was no talk of losing among the Senators.
``In the regular season, we lost the first game to them and then we beat them three times,'' Martin said. ``Look at Minnesota.
``They were down 3-1 and came back. Those are the type of things we're looking at.''
The Canadian Press
5/18/2003
OTTAWA (CP) - Their star players aren't scoring, their goaltender has sprung leaks and now the Ottawa Senators must confront their history - they are 0-6 all-time when facing playoff elimination.
The New Jersey Devils, riding a three-game winning streak, take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 of the best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference final at the Corel Centre on Monday night (CBC, 7 p.m. EDT).
``Absolutely, we believe we can win,'' defenceman Curtis Leschyshyn said Sunday, when the Senators didn't skate but held a 30-minute team meeting to ponder their predicament.
Related Info
Sens' off-day preps
Sens/Devils analysis
Breaking down the 'D'
``It's a huge game for us and we will respond. You don't get to this point without being a successful team. What we've done all year gives us confidence that we can continue to win hockey games. We haven't got here by fluke. We were the best team in the league all year and we played well in the playoffs up to this point.''
The Senators finished first overall in the 30-team NHL with 113 points and roared through the first two rounds of the playoffs against the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers.
But after winning the opening game of the conference final in overtime against New Jersey, the Senators have looked too much like the Ottawa teams of recent seasons that bowed out meekly in the playoffs against tougher, more determined opponents.
The Sens' vaunted trio of right-wingers - Marian Hossa, Daniel Alfredsson and Martin Havlat - has yet to score against the Devils. Each has one assist. Ottawa's scoring leader in the series is centre Bryan Smolinski with two assists.
It hasn't helped that their usually dangerous power play is 0-for-15 against New Jersey.
``You can't compare the (Senators) teams from different situations,'' said Alfredsson, the team captain who managed only one shot on net in two games in New Jersey - a 1-0 loss last Thursday and a 5-2 loss on Saturday.
``This is a different team. This year, teams have come back from 3-1 deficits. Minnesota did it twice, which never happened before. As long as you believe, anything can happen. And we definitely believe.
``We're in a corner right now, but we're still confident that we can win this series,'' he added.
The Senators' optimism stems from the first two periods on Saturday, when they outworked the Devils to take a 2-1 lead.
But when goaltender Patrick Lalime gave up a soft goal to Jay Pandolfo late in the second frame, the legs went out of the Senators. New Jersey piled on three more goals in the third.
Lalime, a rock in the net through the first two rounds, has let in 12 goals in the four games and has a feeble .879 save percentage against New Jersey.
``I can stand for my actions,'' Lalime said of being fingered as the culprit for Saturday's loss. ``I know what happened.
``It was a weird game. They got some funny goals. But that's the way it goes. When things go your way, it's great but when it goes bad, you just want to bounce back from it.''
At the other end of the rink, Martin Brodeur has let in only six goals in the series and has a .947 save percentage.
The Devils are 8-0 in series in which they have taken a 3-1 lead, including twice this year against Boston and Tampa Bay, when they finished off their opponents in five games.
Should they do the same to Ottawa, they will start the Stanley Cup final against the Western Conference champion Anaheim Mighty Ducks at home on Friday night.
``We refuse to talk about that and we won't,'' said Devils coach Pat Burns. ``That word (Anaheim) hasn't even been mentioned.''
Brodeur, whose team arrived at their Aylmer, Que., hotel late Sunday afternoon, recalled the 2000 Eastern Conference final, when the Devils came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Philadelphia en route to the Stanley Cup.
``I look at them and I see what we accomplished in 2000,'' said Brodeur. ``Our backs were to the wall.
``We did it, so by experience, we know it's possible. We've seen other teams do it. It's one of those years in the playoffs.''
``Nothing is guaranteed,'' added defenceman Scott Stevens. ``We're playing a team that had the best record all year.
``I know they've put three wins together before. Not in the playoffs, but we know it's possible.''
There has been speculation that Ottawa might try to change the flow by bringing new faces into the lineup. Defenceman Shane Hnidy, tough guy Rob Ray, left-winger Jody Hull and talented young centre Jason Spezza have yet to play in the series.
Coach Jacques Martin wasn't tipping his hat about roster changes, nor was he about to join the chorus of critics blaming the Sens' top guns for not scoring.
The Devils' top scorer in the series is checking winger Pandolfo, who has three goals, plus one that went in but wasn't counted in Game 3.
``You look for those players to score, but you look (for goals) from everyone,'' said Martin. ``Look at Pandolfo for New Jersey.
``It doesn't matter who scores. What matters is winning the game.''
Martin has dropped the relaxed, confident manner he had when the series started for an all-business approach.
On Sunday, an Ottawa columnist speculated that the seventh-year head coach may be on his way out if the Senators lose the series.
But there was no talk of losing among the Senators.
``In the regular season, we lost the first game to them and then we beat them three times,'' Martin said. ``Look at Minnesota.
``They were down 3-1 and came back. Those are the type of things we're looking at.''
;D
I knew it was tied into the 3rd and couldn't help myself from checking every few minutes in the hopes. When I saw what had happened I wasn't pleased. All I can say now is...LET'S GO DEVILS!!!!!
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