Senators have the belief but may need some luck

PITTSBURGH — Craig Anderson is a realist, the byproduct of 15 years playing the most demanding position in the NHL.

The Senators goaltender would like to chalk up his 45-save masterpiece in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Penguins to his own brilliance. He knows that’s not exactly the case.

“I think you need to be times,” Anderson said.

The Senators have relied on a bit of both during their deepest playoff run in a decade, and Anderson helped force Game 7 Thursday night. Here the Senators are, alive and still skating with a chance to eliminate the deeper, more experienced and more explosive Stanley Cup champions.

So much for the series being over after the Penguins destroyed the Senators 7-0 in Game 5.

“I think if youbelieve you’re beaten, you’re donealready,” Anderson said. “If you believe that you can win, there’s always a chance.”

All the Senators have to do to reach the StanleyCupFinal for just the second time in history is take down one of the league’smarquee franchisesonthe road in a buildingwhere theywere beaten by a touchdown last time out.

No pressure. Really. The Senators, who are 0-5 in Game 7s, weren’t even supposed to be here.

“We’re against a really good hockey team, the Stanley Cup champion, and we have a chance to advance to the Stanley Cup finals,” Senators forward Derick Brassard said. “We can’t ask for anything better than this.” AP little bit lucky to be good at