Hounds released, we now have a series
NEW YORK — Remember when the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers didn’t know each other well enough to generate hatred?
That seems to have passed. So has the Rangers’ lead in a series no one is calling boring anymore. A Chris Neil overtime winner has pumped life into the Senators and this NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal, tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 in Ottawa on Monday.
“That was huge for us,” Senators goaltender Craig Anderson said. “We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but we got the series tied, so it’s heading in the right direction.”
Headed home.
It was the late Conn Smythe who said his Toronto Maple Leafs couldn’t beat teams on the ice if they couldn’t “beat ’em in the alley.”
The Senators took a page out of the major’s book in Game 2 of their series with the Rangers. The “Johnstown” Senators won many battles, stirred fan passions and gave themselves a more realistic shot at winning the war, although they lost the services of captain Daniel Alfredsson in a vicious game.
Bent on avenging the Rangers Brian Boyle taking liberties on Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson in a 4-2 Game 1 loss, the Sens chose to “unleash the hounds” as Mr. Burns used to say on The Simpsons.
Starting a Physical Five opening lineup of Neil, Zack Smith and Zenon Konopka with Matt Carkner and Jared Cowen on defence, the Senators opted for muscle over skill, repeatedly targeting Boyle. Just over two minutes into the game, Carkner’s night was done, given 17 minutes in penalties plus a game misconduct for attacking and drilling Boyle, not relenting as the 6-7 forward was on the ice. Brandon Dubinsky of the Rangers was ejected, too, for jumping in to defend Boyle.
When the dust settled over at the timekeeper’s bench, the Senators played shorthanded for a full five minutes, and they survived it, partly because the Rangers’ power play can be listless. The kill inspired the visitors, but they weren’t done with Boyle. Minutes later, Neil fought him.
Boyle got a later laugh, but not the last one, scoring the go-ahead goal less than three minutes into the third period. Nick Foligno got it back, sending the game into overtime by chipping a puck over Lundqvist with 4:37 left in regulation. This was one of those games that suggested OT all night long.
By the time the teams got around to playing any hockey in this slugfest, the Senators had spent minimal time in the Rangers’ zone, killing off penalties, and they were behind 1-0, on the strength of Anton Stralman’s first career playoff goal.
The Rangers had numerous chances to go up by two goals, including myriad puck adventures in and around the goal crease of Anderson, but, after the Stralman goal, Anderson settled in, catching a break when a puck leaked behind him, but was swept out of danger.
By the middle of the second period, the calls started going Ottawa’s way. A brutal elbow to the head of Alfredsson by Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin resulted in a five-minute major, which the Senators used to get back in the game. Alfredsson left the ice and did not return for the third period or overtime, but his team rallied around him for the victory.
“That’s playoff hockey,” Senators centre Jason Spezza said. “Big goals from different guys. It was intense. That’s how we have to play if we want to have success.”
It wasn’t exactly a classic Karlsson goal, but the young defensive star celebrated as though it was, crouching low and pumping his fist after his second period shot was booted into the New York net by Rangers defenceman Michael Del Zotto. In disgust, Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist swung his stick and kicked his leg, but there was no getting it back. Soccer kick … own goal..
Karlsson was criticized by head coach Paul MacLean for not skating enough in Game 1 on Thursday night.
“I’ve got to put rockets on my skates,” Karlsson said, with a smile after the morning skate. True to his word, Karlsson was flying Saturday night, especially late in the game, when he hardly left the ice.
“I’d like to score 10 goals and 15 assists, but that’s not going to happen probably,” Karlsson said. No, but as desperate as the Senators were at the moment, that one goal felt like 10.
Precisely two minutes after he scored, Karlsson suckered Rangers forward Brad Richards into a penalty, boarding Richards and getting away with it, then getting a whack back from Richards to the head that cost New York another man disadvantage. The Senators want to go after Richards for that very reason. He will retaliate.
In the hours before the game, the Senators were spewing out catch words like “intensity” and “aggression.”
“We have to be the aggressor,” the usually mild-mannered Spezza said. “Don’t sit back and let them be the aggressor. When we push the pace, we’re a good hockey club.”
With Ottawa’s fourth straight OT win on the road, the Senators pushed themselves into the series split they needed.
wscanlan@ottawacitizen.com
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Carkner is gutless…no class, no honor. Hope he gets suspended and Maclean gets a hefty fine. He knew what he was doing when he put Carkner out there. I would also guess Chris “Matt Cooke” Phillips gets something for that elbow too. In the spirit of fairness, Hagelin should probably also get something as well.
Way to go sens they showed good grit and passion.nice goal by Neil
Swashing a few minutes here and there does have it’s regrets but I’m not a glued to multi walled plasma’s any more , in fact I don’t even wonder into my favourite pub to see a Sens game ! Yet my timing in overtime last night at MSG was right on and the shot into the pack then going loose which allowed a pouncing Chris Neill to put enough on the puck and catch a corner of the net seemed typical of the chippy play these two teams generate with goals . Tied up and back to home ice ! Uncertainty in certainty is the Sens Hallmark , with this not a time of season to actout their latest anti concus., advocacy ; all the way or no way , the bench can be utilized . Oh , the nervous guys fall into the same no acting here , play all the way !rb
It’s absolutely sickening how the Sens gooned it up in game 2. Disgusting display.
Way to go Ottawa, excellent game. Like I’ve always said, any NHL team can beat anyone on any given night. Last place beats first place, well done.
The Rangers started all of this with their antics in game one.. especially Mr. Boyle. He thought he would have his fun by repeatedly punching the smallest player on the Sens in the face. So what did the Rangers think the Sens would do in game 2.
If big brave Mr. Boyle would have manned up and fought Carkner then last night’s game would not have turned into the goonery it did. No he turtled.. wouldn’t drop his gloves to fight — I guess Carkner was too big for him. He fought Neil later.. but Neil is a middle weight fighter.. not the big one like Carkner. If Boyle would have fought — Dubinsky would not have been kicked out of the game.
You thought the Sens were mad after Boyle’s antics in game 1 — they will be furious with the hit on Alfie. Their captain — a player probably playing in his last playoffs of his career… taken out by a hit to the head.
Rangers — you come into our barn on Monday… you had better come in a mood to fight.. and if Hagelin is in the lineup — he had better be more of a man than Boyle and fight.
Mr. Healey — wear ear plugs — the Sens fans don’t like you either…
To Mr. Bruce Boudreau who stated on HNIC yesterday afternoon — said the Sens interviews were more trying to convince themselves they would win… he said they would lose by more goals than they did in game 1 — Mr. Boudreau — go suck a lemon..
Go Sens…
oh it’s going to be sweet watching the rangers crush you losers up north. two lucky goals in game 2. whatever.
Nice kick in Chris Neil….You are nothing but a bush league goon