Ottawa Senators make brilliant comeback to win 3-2 over Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL Update
What a way to comeback from a defeat on Monday, as the Ottawa Senators rebounded brilliantly from behind in a 3-2 victory over Canadian rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Senators, in a surprisingly lethargic performance on Monday, went down 2-0 at home to the struggling Winnipeg Jets but there was no lack of drive against the Maple Leafs in the first game of a six-game road trip.
Ottawa went down by two goals in the first period but never seemed to lose hope and in a classic comeback, rallied for a 3-2 victory even after being outshot by 39-21.
Senators’ goaltender, Craig Anderson, kept the Senators alive after letting in two goals and the offence took care of the rest.
The win keeps the Senators in fifth place of the Eastern Conference with a 26-16-6 record.
Maple Leafs, who lost their third game in a row, were left to rue their luck missing out on the chance to move into the playoff spots but the loss keeps them a point adrift of the coveted eighth spot.
Leafs were for the most part dominant but after their first two goals failed to beat Anderson which kept the Senators alive.
Toronto started off the scoring at 6:51 in the first period as Matthew Lombardi broke the deadlock with a fine finish.
With the score at 1-0 the Leafs became much more aggressive and finally doubled their advantage through Joffrey Lupul at 15:35.
That would be the final goal Anderson would let in and four minutes later, Senators’ captain, Daniel Alfredsson, sparked the comeback.
Alfredsson took a pass from Milan Michalek to beat Leafs’ goaltender, James Reimer, and pegged back Leafs' lead to a single goal.
"I think it's just the character of what we have in the room", Anderson said.
"Our leadership, our guys that find ways to bring it every day. You know, I think it's a credit to our captain Alfie and how he comes to the rink every day, battles hard”.
"That guy never takes a day off and he's just a great role model for everybody else".
The Senators were under the cosh for most of the second period but managed to equalise with a controversial goal.
Forward, Jason Spezza, got tangled up with Reimer but managed to use his stick to put the puck past the stricken Leafs’ goalie after Kaspars Daugavins passed him the puck.
"(Spezza) had him in a leg lock", Leafs’ coach, Ron Wilson, said. "He couldn't move".
The officials waved off the protests and the game was on at 2-2.
The Senators did not have to wait long for their winner.
In the third period, rookie Kyle Turris scored his third goal of the season as Alfredsson provided a brilliant assist to cap a wonderful performance.
The Senators managed to hold on to their single goal lead as Anderson stopped the increasingly desperate Leafs offensive pressure to take the win.
Ottawa will travel next to San Jose to face the Sharks on Thursday in what can be expected to be another nail biting encounter, while the Maple Leafs look to end their miserable losing streak against Minnesota Wild.
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