Senators Pull One Back from Penguins

Ottawa outlasted Pittsburgh in double-overtime Sunday, crucially avoiding a 3-0 deficit.

Another 30 seconds of solid defense and the Pittsburgh Penguins would have taken an almost-insurmountable 3-0 series lead, Sunday night.

Instead, the Ottawa Senators found a way to stay alive in the game and the series, scoring a tying goal with 0:28 left on the clock in the third before taking a grueling double-overtime victory at Scotiabank Place.

After the opening pair of games in Pittsburgh saw a total of 12 goals reach the back of the net, offensive proceedings suffered a drought north of the border.

Neither team scored during the first stanza, marking the only scoreless period of the series so far. Pittsburgh center Tyler Kennedy scored the opener 18:53 into the second period, a goal that looked like it might be enough to guide the Penguins to a 3-0 series lead.

That lead looked almost certain when Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson was whistled for slashing with 1:27 left on the clock in the third period, leaving Pittsburgh on power play for the remainder of the game.

But against the odds, it was Ottawa who managed to find the back of the net in the dying moments. Daniel Alfredsson deflected a Milan Michalek pass by Penguins’ goaltender Tomas Vokoun, tying the game at 1-1 with 0:28 left in regulation.

“You’d like to think you can hold onto the puck for the last 1:27, with a power play,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma commented after the game. “That wasn’t the case.”

The opening overtime period proved as defensive as the three that preceded it, with both Vokoun and Ottawa’s Craig Anderson making important saves.

The deadlock was finally broken 7:39 into the second overtime period, as Colin Greening backhanded a rebound past Vokoun to take the 2-1 victory and avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.

Both goaltenders finished the game with very respectable numbers. Vokoun saved 46 of 48 (.958) while Anderson – beaten on seven occasions in the first two games – stopped 49 of 50 (.980).

Now within one game of the Penguins, Ottawa is starting to look at the series very differently.

“When you get a goal like that, you feel like good things are going to happen to you,” remarked Jason Spezza, after playing his first game since Jan. 27 following back surgery.

After the extended game, both teams will look forward to an extra day of rest before Game 4 on Wednesday (7:30 pm ET)

The 2-1 win saw the Senators upset the Penguins, who were anywhere between -125 and -145 on the moneyline depending which sportsbook you chose.

Pittsburgh has now dropped three games as the favorite this postseason, while Ottawa has three underdog victories.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators odds for 5/22/13 (Game 4) have yet to be released but BettingSports will have them as soon as they’re available.

Pittsburgh has been the favorite in all nine of its playoff games so far this postseason. Will we see that trend bucked ahead of Game 4?

* * * * *

After a 5-2 statement win on Sunday, the Boston Bruins now lead the New York Rangers 2-0.

Sunday’s other game saw the Boston Bruins take a 2-0 lead over the New York Rangers in their best-of-seven series.

Having earned a narrow 3-2 overtime victory in Game 1, the Bruins had an easier time of it Sunday, defeating the Rangers 5-2.

The two ‘Original Six’ sides traded goals in the first period and opening minutes of the second, before Johnny Boychuk scored the go-ahead goal for Boston 12:08 into the second.

Brad Marchand’s goal 0:26 into the third period gave the Bruins a 4-2 advantage and made for plain sailing the rest of the way. Milan Lucic added a fifth with 7:31 left in the game, putting this one well out of reach of the outplayed Rangers.

The series now switches to Broadway, with Game 3 scheduled to take place at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (7:30 pm ET).

Down 2-0, history certainly doesn’t favor the Rangers  but John Tortorella’s side has already erased a 2-0 deficit this postseason, ultimately defeating the Washington Capitals in seven games. This series is far from over.

Boston Bruins vs. New York Rangers odds for 5/21/13 (Game 2) are available now.

Unbeaten in Manhattan this postseason, the Rangers (-140) open as the favorite over Boston (+120) on the moneyline.

The Rangers are 3-0 as the favorite during the playoffs, while the Bruins will be an underdog for the first time.