Game Report: Sens Cap Off Home Season With 3-2 OT Win Over Habs

Your Ottawa Senators closed out their 2010-2011 home season last night as they took on the Montreal Canadiens  in their second last game of the year. With Ottawa wanting to end the season on the right foot and give the home crowd hope, the Habs on the other hand were just trying to get through the game without any injuries.

For the first 30 minutes of this game, it was a boring hockey game between a team looking forward to the playoffs and a team planning their first tee off next week. Brian Gionta broke the deadlock with his team leading 27th of the year as he jumped on a rebound and put the puck past Craig Anderson. After forty minutes, you had to wonder which team would step up and take over this game.

As the third period started, Jason Spezza  continued his hot streak as he tied the game up 36 seconds into the period. With his team leading 21st of the year, Spezza has five goals in his last five games. With Ottawa back in the game, Francis Lessard  decided it was time for his stupid play of the game. Two minutes after the Spezza goal, Lessard got a five minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct. It was a dumb play by Lessard and nearly cost the Sens, but Ottawa was able to kill off the penalty.

As the game looked to be heading into overtime, rookie Bobby Butler make a great deke on Hal Gill and sniped top corner on Alex Auld to give Ottawa the one goal lead with less than three minutes to go. Montreal then turned up the tempo and pressured Ottawa for the last two and a half minutes of the game. Ottawa looked like they would hold on, but with 11 seconds left, Andrei Kostitsyn made a great pass to an open Michael Cammalleri and he buried the puck to tie the game.

In overtime, Ottawa wanted the win badly for their home crowd and peppered the Montreal net with three shots in the first minute. As Butler got the puck to the point, Filip Kuba put a seeing-eye wrister on net and beat Auld for the win. With the win, Ottawa has won five out of their last six home games to make Sens Army happy.

The Positives

Bobby Butler had a hell of a game. With a goal and two assists, Butler has 20 points in his last 26 games. The kid may have finally figured out how to play in this league. 

Jason Spezza  continues his to put up points since he coming back from his injury. A changed man, Spezza has a new fire in him that has him dominating games. With two points last night, Spezza has 36 points in his last 28 games.

Craig Anderson had another stellar game. Making 27 saves, Anderson is  5-1-1 in his last seven starts with a GAA of 1.96 and a SV% of .940. This was also Anderson’s 11th win in a Sens jersey in the 18 games he has played in.

The Negatives

Francis Lessard‘s dumb penalty almost cost Ottawa this game. Enough said.

Here are the Game Highlights courtesy of NHL.com.

***Three Stars***

First Star: Bobby Butler– earns it with his three point night and an awesome deke that left Gill looking for his jock strap.

Second Star: Jason Spezza– earns it with his two points and another dominate performance. Next up for Spezza will be gold at the World Championship.

Third Star: Filip Kuba– for the horrible season he has had, Kuba has six points in his last six games and notched the OT winner last night.

Ottawa ended their home season strong with five wins in their last six games. Giving Sens Army hope for next year, Ottawa can be proud of their effort over the last month as they did not pack it in. With their last game a Saturday matinee with the Boston Bruins, Ottawa will begin their long off-season shortly. ‘Til next time, GO SENS GO!!!  

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