3. Stanley Cup Finals defeat in 2007
Entering the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Senators were finally looking to get over the hump. The franchise did when they reached the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. To win the Eastern Conference, the Senators knocked off the 2007 President's Trophy winner Buffalo Sabres.
The Senators were led by their top line of Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Dany Heatley. Ray Emery turned into a reliable goaltender during the 2007 playoffs as well. Standing in the Senators' way of hoisting Lord Stanley were the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks were another team looking to get over the hump after losing in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals and in the 2006 Western Conference Finals. With both teams looking to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, the stage would be set.
Anaheim started the series with protecting home ice in the first two games of the series. Even with losing both games by one goal, the Senators still were confident going home for the next two games behind their rowdy fans. The Senators won Game 3 to get back into the series, but were crushed when the team lost their third one-goal game of the series in Game 4 by a final of 3-2. What fans might remember the most from Game 4 is Alfredsson shooting the puck at Scott Niedermayer with time running down in the second period.
In Game 5, the Senators had their backs against the wall, and Game 5 started rough when the Senators trailed 2-0 after the first period. The Senators cut the lead down to one on two different occasions in the second period, but faced a two-goal deficit again when Francois Beauchemin scored a powerplay goal to give the Ducks a 4-2 lead heading into the second intermission.
The Ducks scored twice in the third period to ice the game and won Game 5 by a final of 6-2 to win the Stanley Cup. The first Stanley Cup Final loss will always be a tough pill to swallow. Since 2007, the Senators have never made it back to the Stanley Cup Finals.