Stanley Cup Finals l Game Number 5
Wednesday, June 6, 2007 ... Game Time 5:00 p.m. (in Anaheim) (8:00 p.m. EST)
[Blockierte Grafik: http://nhl.speedera.net/img/team/ott_comp.gif] vs. [Blockierte Grafik: http://nhl.speedera.net/img/team/ana_comp.gif]
4 OTTAWA SENATORS
VS.
2 ANAHEIM DUCKS
SERIES 3-1 Ducks
Game 1: 3-2 W
Game 2: 1-0 W
Game 3: 5-3 L
Game 4: 3-2 W
Game 5:
Game 6: *
Game 7: *
Anaheim: (Home: 26W-6L-9OL)
Team Stat Leaders
G Andy McDonald 9
A Chris Pronger 11
P Ryan Getzlaf 16
PIM Rob Niedermayer 39
SOG Andy McDonald 62
Jean-Sebastien Giguere 17GP 12W 1.97GAA .925SV%
Ilya Bryzgalov 5GP 3W 2.25GAA .922SV%
Team Matchup's
• Ducks
ZitatNow that the Anaheim Ducks have that elusive road win, they are ready to do what they do best: close things out at home. Twice the Ducks have reached the Stanley Cup finals and both times they were perfect on home ice and inept in enemy territory. That all changed in Canada's capital city on Monday and set up an NHL-style beach party. Anaheim leads the Ottawa Senators 3-1 in the best-of-seven series and can capture the Stanley Cup for the first time Wednesday night. The Ducks are 5-0 in the finals at the place formerly known as the Pond and 7-0 there when they have a chance to finish off a series. Anaheim snapped a five-game road losing streak in the finals by beating the Senators 3-2, and did it without key defenseman Chris Pronger, who served a one-game suspension for elbowing Ottawa's Dean McAmmond in the head during the third period of Game 3. The Norris Trophy finalist will be back in the lineup Wednesday in what surely will be a raucous arena ready to celebrate. Both sides are well aware the Cup will be in the building. Even if the Ducks lose Wednesday, hockey history suggests they're still in good shape to capture the Cup. Only once in 28 chances has a team erased a 3-1 deficit in the finals and skated off with the coveted silver chalice. The numbers were already working in their favor when they left Anaheim with a 2-0 lead. There is only one team out of 30 that won the first two games at home and blew the series. Anaheim beat Minnesota and Vancouver in five, and took out Detroit in six - finishing each series in front of the home folks. If Ottawa manages to win two straight, it would mark the Ducks' first losing streak of the playoffs and force a Game 7 on Monday, again in Anaheim. Edmonton, with Pronger leading the way, erased a 3-1 deficit last year against Carolina in the championship round, only to lose the deciding final game on the road. He remembers what that was like, and Niedermayer - the only Ducks player to have won the Cup - also chipped in with tips on how to keep feelings in check. Niedermayer provided a good example of that by not going after Alfredsson when the Senators captain shot a puck at him from center ice just as the second period expired. He told the Ducks to forget about it. The score was tied and there were more important issues to deal with than retaliation. Anaheim pulled out the victory on Dustin Penner's goal in the third. Niedermayer admitted that the nerves and excitement still exist even when you have won several times. The thoughts creep into your mind in the hours before the game, which of course can disrupt the standard afternoon nap.
Ottawa: (Road: 23W-12L-6OL)
Team Stat Leaders
G Daniel Alfredsson 12
A Dany Heatley 15
PTS Dany Heatley 22
PIM Mike Fisher 24
SOG Daniel Alfredsson 64
Ray Emery 19GP 13W 2.07GAA .916SV%
• Senators
ZitatOttawa had plenty to think about Tuesday morning during the team's five-hour flight back to southern California. If they do, they will head home to the birthplace of Lord Stanley's Cup back in 1893. The Senators are 13-6 in the playoffs, winning each of their first three series in five games, while the Ducks are 9-2 at home. At least now that they are back on the West Coast, the start time reverts to 5 p.m. PDT to accommodate TV viewers back East - however few might be watching. Ottawa's home victory in Game 3 on Saturday night received a 1.1 national rating and a 2 share, NBC said Tuesday. The rating was down 31 percent from last year's Game 3 between Edmonton and Carolina.
Starting Goalies: (Probable)
Anaheim: [Blockierte Grafik: http://cdn.nhl.com/photos/mugs/8462044.jpg] Jean-Sebastien Giguere (12-4)
Ottawa: [Blockierte Grafik: http://cdn.nhl.com/photos/mugs/8469548.jpg] Ray Emery (13-6)