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Onward to Ottawa Scrappy road win in Game 6 gives Sens the momentumPosted: Wednesday May 21, 2003 11:54 PM
No matter what happens in Game 7, it is obvious that Ottawa has arrived as a bona fide elite team. Granted, that's easy for me to say -- a lot easier that it was for the Senators to win this one -- but the fact that they found a way to get past the Devils on the road is proof enough. Wrapped into the overtime victory was a spirited effort by all involved. From the outset, Ottawa was tenacious rather than tentative, as it clearly played to win. The Sens were aggressive in all areas and extremely sharp in their peerless passing game. That alone, though, wasn't enough against the gum-up-the-works style of the Devils. It took a willingness to pay the price in the high-traffic areas, which against the Devils is everywhere on the ice. The proof of perseverance was in the points from which the Senators scored. Both goals came around goaltender Martin Brodeur's crease, the most fiercely defended space on the rink. Without that tenacity, the Senators would be going home for the offseason instead of returning to Ottawa for a decisive tilt. The Devils had their chances, led by veterans Joe Nieuwendyk and Scott Stevens pressing back knowingly. They approached this game with the intensity of guys who have seen it all, wary of seeing a Game 7. New Jersey had its opportunities to close it out, but Ottawa was resilient, backstopped by another solid performance in goal by Patrick Lalime. He was at his best in the early stages of OT -- the lone stretch of the game where the Senators were on their heels a bit. The Devils had their best offensive sequences, but the score remained tied. The winning goal was more indicative of the Senators' style. Marian Hossa chipped the puck wide right to engage Stevens in a chase. He got enough of an angle to get it to the front of the net where Vaclav Varada had a couple of uncontested whacks at the loose puck in front of Brodeur. Defenseman Chris Phillips, who skated end to end to support the rush, finally scored the goal -- the final reward for their straight-line-with-speed attack mode. Hossa's effort spread the ice and his teammates read and reacted to the play with controlled assertiveness. That dimension now marks the Sens approach and is the main reason this series is going the distance. Three StarsFirst Star: Hossa has yet to score in the series, but in this pivotal game, he was a force offensively with assists on both goals. Second Star: Sometimes it comes down to a single save for a goaltender. For Lalime and the Senators, his save on Brian Gionta's bid to his glove side early in OT kept the season alive. Third Star: Nieuwendyk scored the Devils' only goal and was their most dangerous forward -- a tremendous effort from a long-proven money player. He needed help getting to the dressing room at the conclusion of the game, though, favoring his left leg. Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com. Eliot will provide Stanley Cup Playoffs commentary throughout the postseason, and he is also broadcasting the Stanley Cup Finals for NHL Radio. |
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