Ottawa Senators make last minute comeback, edge New York Rangers in shootout 5-4 -NHL Match Update
New York was on the verge of snapping Ottawa’s four-game winning streak on Saturday as they were up by three midway through the final period, but the Senators made a last minute comeback and edged the Rangers in a shootout to win their fifth straight contest,
5-4, at the sold-out Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, United States.
The Rangers on the other hand, lost their second straight starting off with a loss in their first home game of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season to the Toronto Maple Leafs, keeping them winless at home.
"It's just another great comeback win for us", said Ottawa's Jason Spezza, who scored both of his goals during the third-period rally. "We're making this somewhat regular and not making it easy on ourselves, but we're finding a way to get wins and it shows
the great character of our team right now".
With their five wins in a row, Ottawa has bumped itself up above the postseason division line where four franchises, including the Senators, are tied for the fifth number spot with 12 points.
Winning their upcoming games will be crucial for the Senators future as the season progresses if they wish to stay in the upper region of the Eastern Conference.
Chris Neil scored his second of the season with less than seven minutes remaining in the opening period, but it was all New York in the next 20 minutes.
Ryan Callahan and Brad Richards scored two straight, nearly a minute apart, as Ottawa’s Zenon Konopka was out for a five-minute major for boarding, which was served by Chris Neil and a 10 minute major for game misconduct, giving the home team a 5-on-3 man
advantage.
Marian Gaborik extended the lead in the opening five minutes of the third while Richards added his second of the night, giving the Rangers a commanding, 4-1, lead with only 11:55 left to go.
Amazingly, Ottawa made a miraculous comeback with Jason Spezza scoring two consecutive nearly three minutes apart while Milan Michalek levelled the match, stunning the crowd and forcing an uncertain overtime.
Michalek scored one again on their first shootout attempt, which later turned out to be the only successful shot, giving Ottawa the victory.
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