Sens’ Ryan has proven the difference in series

Ottawa Senators right winger Bobby Ryan had the hockey sense to recognize that last night’s game with the Bruins would come down to one decisive play.

Ryan, with some valuable assistance from defenseman Erik Karlsson, made the play. Ryan scored a second effort goal at 5:49 of the third period to lift the Senators to a 1-0 victory last night at the Garden.

The Senators secured two from the Bruins on Causeway Street to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series. The Senators can close things out with a victory tomorrow night in Ottawa.

“Any game-winner in any postseason game is going to feel good, but tonight was one of those games where you felt there was only going to be one goal all night long,” said Ryan “When I got it I thought we could lock it down, and the guys that went out there did the job at the end.

“But I had a feeling it was going to be a one-goal game. I expect a lot more of the same on Friday and we were very content to win it 1-0.”

Ryan has been the deciding performer in the last two games. Ryan scored the first overtime goal of his NHL career in Ottawa’s 4-3 victory on Monday night. He has carried the offensive load for the Senators with three goals and two assists in the series.

All four games have been decided by one goal, with two games going to overtime. The Bruins and the Senators play different styles but the contrast has produced the kind of competitive games that separates the regular season from the playoffs.

“I think we were prepared for that to a degree and it is two tight teams and neither team gives up a lot,” said Ryan. “When we do or they do, they seem to be 10-bellers. It is really who is going to capitalize on that one shot per game right now, and I think it is just the nature of the series.”

The lone goal required a combination of hustle, guile and extra effort to get it by B’s goalie Tuukka Rask, who finished the game with 26 saves.

Center Derick Brassard won a tough puck battle along the boards and fed it to Karlsson in the high slot. While that was transpiring, Ryan slipped unobserved into the bottom of the right circle.

“As soon as Brass got some time there I knew it was going to come to me and I knew Bobby was over there,” said Karlsson. “I was trying not to over sell it and fake like I was going to shoot it and luckily he made a handle on it.”

Ryan took Karlsson’s slap-shot pass and brought it to the net. Ryan didn’t get off a clean shot but his second effort pushed the puck under Rask’s stick and inside the far post, under the sprawling body of B’s captain Zdeno Chara.

“I almost gave up on it but kept going to the net,” said Ryan. “Karl has the ability to steer guys with his eyes a little bit and I got lucky I stayed because he put it right on my stick.”