Senators finish off Penguins with Game 5 shutout

[Michael82]

The Ottawa Senators brought a decisive end to Sidney Crosby's teenage years in the NHL.

Ray Emery made 20 saves for his first playoff shutout, leading Ottawa to a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday to win their first-round series in five games. Dany Heatley, Antoine Vermette and Chris Kelly scored second-period goals.

The Senators scored three times in the middle period and held the 19-year-old Crosby without a point for a second straight game.

Emery helped Ottawa weather two early 5-on-3s, including one that lasted 74 seconds after Dean McAmmond was given a delay of game minor for backhanding the puck over the glass with Wade Redden already in the penalty box.

Heatley scored his second goal of the series on a power play 1:08 into the second and Vermette made it 2-0 when he drove through the slot and scored on Marc-Andre Fleury.

Kelly brought the sellout crowd to its feet with a roar once again when he beat Fleury at 17:55.

Ottawa, which has never squandered a 3-1 series lead, advances to face one of the three teams in the New York area. The fourth-seeded Senators will either travel to No. 2 New Jersey, or host the sixth-seeded New York Rangers or the eighth-seeded New York Islanders when the second round begins.

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/gamecenter/recap/NHL_20070419_PIT@OTT

Damn, these aren't the same playoff choking Senators.... :ill:

[RockStar36]

They got out of the first round last year. Let's not kid ourselves. The Penguins weren't as good as everybody wanted to make them seem. Before the playoffs started people were so scared to play the Pens. Media hype doesn't make them a great team.

[Philagape]

Scenarios ...

1. Lightning win, we play Lightning. I'd feel OK against the Senators or Rangers in the conference finals.

2. Devils win, Devils play Senators, we play Rangers. A Devils-Senators series would be very physical and draining.

The only team I really don't want to play in our conference is the Devils

[LtFinFan66]

:sad:

[RockStar36]

:sad:

It must be the curse of your signature. First OSU football, OSU basketball, then the Penguins. I'm glad to see that the Dolphins are the next team to make the sig.

[LtFinFan66]

At least I have cheerleaders and not players....:scratch:......perhaps a Bills sig would be in order then:scratch:

[BillsSabresB.C.T. Fan]

Scenarios ...

1. Lightning win, we play Lightning. I'd feel OK against the Senators or Rangers in the conference finals.

2. Devils win, Devils play Senators, we play Rangers. A Devils-Senators series would be very physical and draining.

The only team I really don't want to play in our conference is the Devils

2. Battle of NY!!! First the Islanders & now the Rangers!!!

[camelcowboy]

At least I have cheerleaders and not players....:scratch:......perhaps a Bills sig would be in order then:scratch:

:down: not cool

[SabreEleven]

:lolpoint:
:sad:

[LtFinFan66]

Laugh it up assclown. Do you think I really care? I have watched more hockey in the last 2 weeks than in the last 15 years combined

[Mitchy moo]

Look at it this way OP, you have a young team there. Many more years to come.

[Michael82]

Scenarios ...

1. Lightning win, we play Lightning. I'd feel OK against the Senators or Rangers in the conference finals.

2. Devils win, Devils play Senators, we play Rangers. A Devils-Senators series would be very physical and draining.

The only team I really don't want to play in our conference is the Devils
The Lightning actually worry me a bit. They play our style and have shown they can skate just as fast as us. Plus LeCavalier and others are really hot right now. I think I want to play the Rangers and let the Devils and Senators kick eachother's ass. :up:

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

The Penguins got the worst team they could face in round one. They are young and playing one of the top teams isn't going to help anyone. They looked like it was their first playoff series. They blew two 5-on-3s last night when they needed to play desperate and didn't.

[Meathead]

35-8-8 ottawas record in their last 51 games.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

Ottawa is always great in the 1st round.

1997-98 82 34 33 15 — 83 193 200 1091 5th, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-2 (Devils)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 1-4 (Capitals)
1998-99 82 44 23 15 — 103 239 179 892 1st, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Sabres)
1999-00 82 41 28 11 2 95 244 210 850 2nd, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2-4 (Maple Leafs)
2000-01 82 48 21 9 4 109 274 205 1062 1st, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0-4 (Maple Leafs)
2001-02 82 39 27 9 7 94 243 208 1347 3rd, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Flyers)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 3-4 (Maple Leafs)
2002-03 82 52 21 8 1 113 263 182 1135 1st, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Islanders)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4-2 (Flyers)
Lost in Conference Finals, 3-4 (Devils)
2003-04 82 43 23 10 6 102 262 189 1270 3rd, Northeast Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Maple Leafs)
2004-052 — — — — — — — — — —
2005-063 82 52 21 — 9 113 314 211 1443 1st, Northeast Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1 (Lightning)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 1-4 (Sabres)

[pyrrhonist]

I don't know who was more pathetic in their 1st round elimination----Pittsburgh, Atlanta, or Minnesota. :down:

[LtFinFan66]

Has to be Atlanta

[hammerbillsfan]

Atlanta for sure. :puke:

[pyrrhonist]

Come on, guys---it was rhetorical! :D

You have to admit, though, those 3 teams proved the continued point in the NHL that regular season success does not equal playoff success.

[hammerbillsfan]

Come on, guys---it was rhetorical! :D

booze clouds the judgement :boozer:

[Meathead]

the sens just dominated the pens in every way last night. it got to the point i felt bad for the pens they were getting hammered every time they touched the puck. they had no chance to win that game after the first period. they just couldnt match the sens physical advantage and got manhandled. i will bet you the pens add some beef in the offseason

if the sabres play the sens i would expect ruff to use his remaining move to call up kaleta who provides a cleaner version of chris neal. that is unless goose is ready for full time duty and theyd probably just go with him and peters to counter the sens physical play

in any event it would be total war and it would be awesome