Phaneuf scores OT winner for Sens
OTTAWA— Dion Phaneuf waited a long time for this type of moment.
Phaneuf set up two goals before scoring his own in overtime as the Ottawa Senators beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Saturday to tie their Eastern Conference quarter-final series 1-1.
The12-year veteran scored the winner from the point at 1:59 as Alex Burrows provided a screen.
“It feels great to do it here in front of our fans, it’s just incredible,” Phaneuf said.
“I’ve played a long time and this is my first overtime winner and it feels great. I tried to get as much on it and luckily it found a way through.” Game 3 is Monday in Boston. Clarke MacArthur, Chris Wideman and Derick Brassard also scored for the Senators and Craig Anderson made 26 saves.
Drew Stafford, Tim Schaller and Patrice Bergeron provided the offence for the Bruins. Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots.
The Senators had rallied from a 3-1 deficit with a two-goal third period to force overtime.
Ottawa scored twice in a span of 2:28 to tie the game, sending the 18,629 on hand at Canadian Tire Centre into a frenzy.
Wideman made it 3-2 with a shot from the point and Brassard, off a great pass from Erik Karlsson, tied the game at 7:48 on a one-timer.
“The second period we didn’t really come out the way that we wanted and we needed a response and I think that we definitely gave them that in the third,” said Karlsson. “That’s the way that we’re going to have to play if we’re going to beat these guys. They’re not going to give up.” The Bruins anticipated a push back from the Senators, but were disappointed at letting the two-goal lead slip away.
“You don’t want to put your foot off the gas there, you want to keep at it and not really change anything,” said Stafford.
“For the most part I don’t think we really did, they just capitalized on a point shot, a seeing-eye shot and a little bit of a breakdown and they were able to get it through. They capitalized on their chances.”
A goalie gaffe and bad penalties left the Senators trailing 3-1after 40 minutes.
Viktor Stalberg blocked a shot, but the rebound went right to Stafford, who hammered it past Anderson to open the scoring at 9:47.
The Senators challenged the goal believing the play was offside, but a lengthy review upheld the goal.
MacArthur tied it on the power play with his first goal since April 19, 2015.
MacArthur, who battled back after suffering a devastating concussion in training camp and wasn’t expected to play this season, raised his arms to the sky in celebration as the crowd went wild.
“It was just a great feeling,” said MacArthur. “You know everyone wanted me to get one too is what it felt like. The whole city’s kind of been having to listen to me the last couple of years trying to make comebacks and what not and to get that ovation was just, wow, probably be the best moment I have in hockey.”
Reaction from the Senators bench was just as good as the crowd’s as MacArthur is so well respected from teammates and coaches alike.
“When he raised his arms I think the whole city did at the same time,” said Boucher.
“It was very special, one of the most special moments I’ve lived as a coach because it’s everybody in the rink, the players and the organization celebrating something that must have been very tough to live all year and it comes at a perfect time.”