STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF RECAP MAY 23 2017
ANDERSON SHINES AS SENATORS BOUNCE BACK TO WIN GAME 6 . . .
Craig Anderson made 45 saves – including 22 stops in the second period – and the Senators received goals from Bobby Ryan and Mike Hoffman as Ottawa forced a seventh and deciding game in the Eastern Conference Final.
TUESDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF RESULT
Home Team in Caps
OTTAWA 2, Pittsburgh 1 – series tied 3-3
SETTING UP GAME 7 SHOWDOWN IN PITTSBURGH ON THURSDAY
Ottawa will visit Pittsburgh for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday (8 p.m. ET), marking the 34th time in NHL history that teams will face off in a Game 7 to determine who goes to the Stanley Cup Final.
The 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs mark the fourth consecutive year that at least one Game 7 has been contested in the Conference Finals (1 in 2014, 2 in 2015 and 1 in 2016).
Overall, Game 7 remains the most frequently-occurring series length since the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. There have been at least three Game 7s every postseason since 2008 including seven in both 2011 and 2014, tied for the most ever in one postseason (also 7 in 1994).
The Senators will play a Game 7 for the first time since the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals at NYR (2-1 L) and the sixth time in franchise history (0-5). Their lone such contest in the Conference Finals came in 2003 when they hosted the Devils (3-2 L).
The Penguins own an all-time record of 9-7 in 16 all-time Game 7s, including a win at WSH in the Second Round this year. Only four teams in NHL history have played more Game 7s than the Penguins – all of whom were part of the Original Six: the Red Wings (14-11) and Bruins (13-12) each have 25 GP, followed by the Canadiens (14-9) at 23 GP and Maple Leafs (12-10) at 22 GP.
The Penguins will play a Game 7 in the Conference Finals for the second straight year and third time in franchise history (also 1996: 3-1 L vs. FLA and 2016: 2-1 W vs. TBL). Pittsburgh is the fifth team to compete in a Game 7 of the Conference Finals in consecutive years since the League adopted the conference-based playoff format in 1994. The Stars defeated the Avalanche at home in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final in both 1999 (4-1 W) and 2000 (3-2 W), while the Blackhawks (2014: 5-4 OT L vs. LAK and 2015: 5-3 W at ANA) and Lightning (2015: 2-0 W at NYR and 2016: 2-1 L at PIT) also played Game 7 in the Conference Finals in consecutive years.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF MUSINGS
- The Senators scored a power-play goal for the first time since Game 1 of the Second Round vs. NYR, ending an 0-for-29 drought with the man advantage
- Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (1-0—1) leads all skaters with 7-17—24 in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (18 GP)
- The Oilers signed forward Iiro Pakarinen to a one-year contract extension
- The Vegas Golden Knights announced a television partnership with ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain
- The Senators and Penguins observed a moment of silence prior to Game 6 in honor of the Manchester attack victims.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE