Senators take 2-1 lead over Bruins
Bobby Ryan took a punch in overtime, then delivered one of his own to win it.
Ryan scored the winner on a power play 5:43 into overtime as the Ottawa Senators beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Monday night to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Ryan tipped the puck past Rask off a pass from Kyle Turris. Ottawa was awarded the man advantage when Boston’s Riley Nash was whistled for roughing 4:38 into overtime after throwing a punch at Ryan.
“I always say that you make your money during the season, but you make your reputation in the playoffs, and right now he’s showing everybody that he's a gamer,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said of Ryan.
The penalty on Nash drew the ire of the sellout TD Garden crowd of 17,565, as well as Bruins interim coach Bruce Cassidy.
“Demoralizing and disappointing,” Cassidy said. “There’s probably a lot more words, but they called it. Once they called it, it’s our job to kill.”
Mike Hoffman scored two goals and Derick Brassard added another for the Senators. Craig Anderson made 17 saves.
“It feels incredible and we took home-ice back and that’s what’s important,” Ryan said.
Noel Acciari, David Backes and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins while Tuukka Rask had 28 stops.
It is the second straight game in the series that has gone to overtime, with Dion Phaneuf scoring 1:59 in Saturday's extra period to send the Sens to a 4-3 victory in Game 2.
“That’s the NHL. In (a) matter of a few minutes, the tide changes,” Boucher said.
Game 4 is Wednesday in Boston, where Ottawa has won four straight.