New York Rangers edge Ottawa Senators 3-2 to force Game 7 -NHL Playoffs Update
A second period rally by New York Rangers secured the win and forced a Game 7 contest against Ottawa Senators in Game 6 of the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoff Quarterfinals.
While a majority of the series have now been decided, only New York and Ottawa remain along with Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils in the quarterfinals.
Rangers were on the brink of elimination entering the Monday night, April 23, 2012, matchup in the sold-out Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and had to show a little desperation in order to get the job done.
"We played well. We played really well," said Rangers goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist. "I think it was important that we stayed confident after the first period. After we got the first goal, I felt like we got a lot of confidence and started building our game."
Senators broke loose in the final 20 minutes as they had 14 attempts alone but Lundqvist faced all in solid form to only let one through.
Chris Neil got Ottawa off to a one point lead on the power play opportunity with New York’s Mike Rupp out for roughing.
Rangers dominated round-two as Derek Stepan and Brad Richards scored two straight on added man advantages with it being the latter’s second goal of the entire series. Chris Kreider also got his name up on the scoreboard with his first NHL career goal after
being called up from the minor leagues.
Lundqvist heated up after NHL officials counted Jason Spezza’s goal in round-three with less than 40 seconds left to play and bringing Ottawa within one of levelling it. For Lundqvist, it seemed like Spezza’s skate pushed the puck in after a scramble in
front of the New York net but officials counted it, but Ottawa failed to get the equaliser.
"It's unbelievable," said Lundqvist."It still upsets me because we had this game, then they get a chance. Someone wants them back in the game, obviously, because there's no other explanation."
It will definitely be an exciting Game 7 competition between Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers as both meet for the last time this playoff series on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Madison Square Garden.
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