Top 10 Most Memorable Games in Ottawa Senators History

Throughout the 27 year history of the Ottawa Senators franchise, there have been many games etched in the memory of Ottawa Senators fans. I try my best at narrowing down the most memorable Ottawa Senators games.

Honourable Mentions

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators (Game 6, 2003-2004)

Daniel Alfredsson guaranteed a Sens win in this series versus the Leafs, with that added pressure and the facts the Senators had lost their last three series versus the Leafs, they needed a seventh game. Cue Mike Fisher’s Game 6 heroics.

Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators (Game 4, 2012-2013)

The Senators, fresh off a 6-1 domination of Montreal were looking to take a stranglehold on the series. Down 2-0 with around 9 minutes remaining, Mika Zibanejad would score a questionable “kick” goal to narrow the lead. In the dying seconds Daniel Alfredsson would set up Cory Conacher (Remember him?). Then the game would end on a deflected shot towards the net by Kyle Turris on the freshly inserted Peter Budaj.

With the Senators taking games 1 and 2 both in dramatic fashion, they went on to lose the next two games at Madison Square Garden both by scores of 4-1. The Senators needed this game, they inserted Chris Neil into the lineup to rally the troops and the move seemed to pay off. Neil jumped Tanner Glass in a questionable move that eliminated a Senators power play but did help an Ottawa team which was down by one goal. With the Rangers up 4-3 late, Derick Brassard scored off of a few re directs and the puck somehow found its way past Henrik Lundqvist to tie the game. With a signature slap pass off the boards by Erik Karlsson, Kyle Turris walks in and ends it in overtime.

With the Senators down 2-0 in the series versus a superior Penguins team, they were looking for a confidence boost at home. Trailing 1-0 for almost the whole third period Ottawa needed a boost, and an Erik Karlsson slashing penalty late in the game made the game seem out of reach. With less than a minute left Milan Michalek gets the puck from Sergei Gonchar and proceeds to throw an epic saucer pass to Daniel Alfredsson for a short handed goal that tied the game with only thirty seconds left on the clock. Both teams were held at bay during the first overtime period, then in the second overtime period an unexpected duo would combine on the winning goal. Andre Benoit would fire the puck on net and Colin Greening would pot the rebound to put the Senators right back in the series.

“Mark Stone Again!!” Those are the words that defined the historic run the Senators went on in 2015. The most important game of the season. A victory would help Ottawa pull within a point of Pittsburgh in the wild card race. With Ottawa down 3-0 after the first period, the magic had seemingly ran out. One fluky goal by Jean-Gabriel Pageau showed hope, Stone scored to start the third bringing it within one goal. Then Mike Hoffman would complete the comeback  proceeded by fireing a writer through a screen to tie the game in the dying minutes. Then the heroics by Stone, after a great rush by Karlsson he picks it up in his skates and roofs it on Fleury, let Chris Cuthbert take it away.

After dropping the first two games of the cup final, Ottawa needed to respond in the first ever Stanley Cup Final game in Ottawa. Scotiabank Place was electric and the whole hockey world had its sights on Ottawa. With the Sens trailing 3-2 halfway through the game, before the second period ended Daniel Alfredsson and Dean McAmmond would answer and the Sens would hold on to win there first ever Stanley Cup Final game by a score of 5-3. Ottawa gets within a game after game 3, the game ended up not meaning much, as the would go on to lose the next two games. Despite that, the win will still stick with Senators fans as a memorable one.

This is a game that sticks out as one of the most entertaining games I can remember in Sens history. The game had it all: A Pageau coming out party versus Montreal (Hat Trick), A line brawl, a 6-1 thumping of a rival. I can’t count how many times I have rewatched the line brawl that took place, with Jared Cowen, Chris Phillips, Zack Smith, Matt Kassian and Chris Neil all winning their fights and hyping up the raucous Ottawa crowd. We can’t forget about the timeout that Paul MacLean took while the Senators were up 6-1 late, and seeing the stare by Michel Therrien while MacLean was soaking up the moment. Pageau’s hat trick goal in the dying minutes was the cherry on top.

The Line brawl below brings back great memories:

Despite being only 4 years old at the time of this game, and having no recollection I lean on recounts by my dad as this being a huge game for Ottawa to force a Game 7 back in Ottawa. Back in Ottawa, Sens fans packed the Corel Centre in hopes of watching their team on the big screen fight for another game. 1-1 heading Into overtime it had been a goaltending battle, between future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur and Patrick Lalime. Ottawa turned to an unlikely suspect for the heroics: Chris Phillips scored 15 minutes into the first overtime period for his biggest goal of his career. The celebration with the bench is an iconic moment in this great moment.

A huge game in Ottawa after falling in Game 1 to the Boston Bruins, on an afternoon game where the Senators started sluggish going down 3-1 after two periods, they needed a resurgence. During the middle of the second period when the game was tied up, Derick Brassard put in no effort on a short-handed goal against, and Captain Erik Karlsson went irate at him after the play on the bench. Later that game the two would combine on the tying goal for Ottawa which was a display of just how elusive Erik Karlsson was (Even on one leg).

Then after regulation, teams knotted at 3, Dion Phaneuf would blast a slap shot by Tukka Rask to end up flipping the series on its head.

Phaneuf later claimed it was the biggest goal he ever scored, and we can all agree.

The first big moment in Ottawa Senators franchise history was when they finally clinched a playoff spot in their fourth year. Steve Duchesne scored one of the most iconic goals in Ottawa Senators history, with four minutes left in the final game of the regular season. In front of a raucous Corel Centre, which many describe as the loudest the place has ever been after Duchesne scored. Also, scoring on the best goalie of all time adds to the excitement felt in Ottawa that day.

Dave Schreibers call of “Steve dodo-do-dodo Duchesne!” is one of the most iconic calls in Ottawa Senators history and adds to how spectacular this moment was.

One of the most back and forth games I have witnessed, Ottawa was down by two goals three times in this game, and just couldn’t get the tying goal throughout the majority of the game. With the game standing at 4-2 Rangers after two periods, Ottawa needed a spark. Mark Stone scored early in the third to bring it within one, only 4 minutes later Brady Skjei scored what seemed like a back breaker. With under four minutes Pageau would proceed to score two goals in the final minutes both on beautiful deflections that went past Henrik Lundqvist.  Capped off by a snipe past Lundqvist into the top shelf in overtime. Below are all four goals scored by Pageau in the “Pageau Game”.

The most memorable game in Ottawa Senators history has to be the one that got them into their first-ever Stanley Cup Final. With one of the best lines in the NHL unsurprisingly carrying Ottawa through this game, Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley scored a goal each in the Sens 3-2 victory. Ottawa entered the series on the road winning both games, then proceeded to win game 3, and dropped game 4.

Ottawa didn’t want to go to a game 6 and have the idea of relinquishing a 3-0 series lead. The game was deadlocked 2-2 heading into overtime thanks to goals by Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza, while Hecht and Afinogenov scored for the Sabres. Later in overtime Alfredsson crossed the blue line and fired a changeup of a wrist shot which fooled Miller and went into the right side of the net to send Ottawa to the Stanley Cup Final.