The Ottawa Senators Rallied Against the 2016 Stanley Cup Champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, to Force a Game 7. The Senators Pushed For a 2-1 Home Ice Win And Will Now Return to Pittsburgh With Hopes of Heading to the Stanley Cup Final. Now The They Forced a Game 7, They'll Face the Second Part of the Battle: the Win.
The Ottawa Senators are putting up a battle against the reigning Stanley Cup champs. The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a favorite in the Eastern Conference since they hoisted the Cup up last season, therefore the Senators knew they'd face a tough battle.
Despite a less than packed arena, the Senators rallied against the Penguins in game 6 on home ice and forced a game 7 with a much-needed 2-1 win. The victory was a close one-goal game, but that didn't stop the Senators from feeling revitalized.
Now that game 7 is looming, Ottawa will face another battle, the battle of sealing the deal with a win and entering the Stanley Cup Final. Ottawa has surprised many by forcing the seventh game, but can they take the final win and stamp their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals?
The Hardball Penguins
Even if you aren't a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, you can't deny the power they have in the rink. The Penguins have proved time and time again that, even when they don't seem to, they've got what it takes to be an unstoppable team. It isn't any surprise that the Senators were given the backseat to the Penguins' success, but it doesn't mean the underdogs sat back.
The Senators used their strengths to top their opposition. Ottawa has been channeling their best defensive play and goaltending from Craig Anderson, to stay strong in the post-season. This defensive system proved a new level of strength after topping both the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers.
The Penguins are a strong team with a lot of depth. Their scoring power goes far beyond Sidney Crosby and a goal can come from any player at almost any time. Pittsburgh has one of the NHL's most successful systems, in my opinion, due to their ability to alternate between defensive and offensive playing systems.
The Penguins lead all playoff teams with 55 goals for, averaging three goals per game, lead currently for their power play percentage and top the Ottawa Senators for their power kill. Not to mention, the Penguins have Matt Murray in goal again, giving them two very strong goalies to lead the team. Marc-Andre Fleury has been solid all post-season and Murray played a huge role in the team's win last year.
Pittsburgh plays hardball. They're an experienced team with incredible play and they aren't afraid to show it. Signs point towards a Penguins victory, but the Senators might push for a surprise.
Ottawa Needs to Make the Final Push
The Senators need to channel their best play to take the series win. In a game 7, the win can go to anyone and the stakes are high. Ottawa hasn't had such good luck with game 7's but they can't let that shake them.
After all, anything can happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs; history, habits, and weaknesses can all be thrown to the wind in face of the battle for the most coveted trophy in all of the sports.
The Senators need to channel their best defensive play and need to get their forwards moving to take the win. They've topped the rough defensive system from the Bruins and the speedy offensive system from the Rangers, therefore they have what it takes to battle a team that has a little bit of both.
The Senators and Penguins will face off for game 7 tomorrow, Thursday, May 25, at 8 p.m. The game is set to be the most exciting one yet. The winner ill go on to face the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup Finals.
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