Ottawa Senators Attempting to Defy the Odds Again

Apr 24, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Ottawa Senators team celebrates the win against Montreal Canadiens in game five of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are headed to a Game 6 following the Senators 5-1 victory at the Bell Centre on Friday night. From the Subban slash in Game 1, to the Senators goal tending situation this series has been everything fans could have hoped for.

The Senators have started each game strong, scoring first in all five games. Despite their frequent hot starts the Senators found themselves trailing 3-0 in the series and have battled back to force a Game 6 on home ice.

Andrew Hammond started the series between the pipes for the Senators but failed to perform the way he had been playing during the regular season. Since switching to Craig Anderson the Senators have looked like a different team and Anderson is playing exceptionally well.

Anderson has seen 123 shots in his three starts and has saved 120 of them, for an excellent save percentage of .976. Anderson has allowed less than a goal per game and has posted a shutout in his three starts for the Senators this postseason.

Erik Karlsson has been great for the Senators as well, registering four points in the five games played. Averaging nearly 29 minutes of ice time per game Karlsson has become a physical force to go along with his two way game. The Senators captain has been a major force as the Senators are attempting to come back from the 3-0 hole.

The Montreal Canadiens have not been able to match the level of desperation that the Senators have brought since falling behind 3-0. If it weren’t for the play of goaltender Carey Price the Canadiens would likely be trailing in this series.

Friday night Price was not at his best, allowing five goals on only 25 shots. Anderson played a near flawless game, allowing only one goal on 46 shots. Despite the large shot differential, the Canadiens struggled to get players in front of Anderson to generate screens and second chances. The Senators have constantly been rushing the crease in an attempt to make life difficult on Price, and worked perfectly in Game 5.

The Senators head home for Game 6 with a red hot goaltender, and will be playing in front of a raucous crowd. Assuming the team can feed of the energy the crowd will bring to the game the Senators may have the perfect recipe to overcome the odds and defeat the Canadiens in this series.

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Defeating a Veznia trophy finalist four games in a row is certainly easier said than done. It is safe to assume Price will perform much better in Game 6 than he did in Game 5. However, the Senators have a goalie that is playing at a Veznia trophy level and it will not be easy to defeat Anderson in any game either.

Game 6 is nearly impossible to predict and if the series were to make it to a game seven, anything can happen. The Senators and their fans are certainly hoping Anderson can carry the team to two more victories and an improbable series comeback.