Why Ottawa Senators will win Game 7 against New York Rangers -NHL Playoffs Special
The stakes are high for both Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers as both teams are set to decide the series in Game 7 of the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Playoff Quarterfinal on Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Madison
Square Garden in New York.
While Rangers are depending on the home crowd to keep them alive throughout the contest, Ottawa is looking forward to using sheer firepower to take the New York team down and out of the playoffs altogether.
Since the home-ice advantage has not really worked for both teams so far, Ottawa and New York can expect an intense matchup from each other as either will not be going down easily.
While the New York Rangers might be the Eastern Conference’s top seed in the playoffs, Ottawa Senators are more confident in their abilities.
Here is why Ottawa Senators will win Game 7 to advance into the semi-finals against Washington Capitals.
Oh Canada!
Being the only Canadian team to remain a part of the playoffs, Ottawa Senators definitely have some big shoes to fill as Vancouver Canucks were eliminated by Los Angeles Kings in six games. Senators have done a much better job their part by having a team
like New York on the verge of elimination in Game 6 and now, having another chance in Game 7.
“You always want to play in high-pressure situations,” said Ottawa goalie, Craig Anderson. “We’re grown adults, but we’re still kids inside. We’re always pushing forward for that next battle, that next pressure point.”
Surprise Saviours
While New York has majorly depended on veteran goalie, Henrik Lundqvist, to help them get the job done, Ottawa has had miracle workers taking the contest to a whole different level, but they are not always the same.
Chris Neil was great in Game 2 while rookie forward, Kyle Turris, took the match for Ottawa in Game 4 while goalie Craig Anderson had a huge shutout victory in the next.
Ottawa does not need to depend on any single player to take the match but has a variety of players that can step up at literally any moment and win.
Erik Karlsson
So far in the series, Erik Karlsson has been quite and not a major contributor, pretty surprising looking at his regular season stats. The power defender can score and come Game 7, Senators believe that it just might be his breakthrough night to make his
presence felt.
“We just need him to be him,” Ottawa coach, Paul MacLean, said. “When (Karlsson) skates is obviously when he’s at his best, and in the last game I’m not sure he skated — he hasn’t skated the way he can skate, and (Thursday) we need him to use his skill as
a skater to create offence.”
Karlsson has only one goal in the series thus far and could prove to be the x-factor on Thursday.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: