Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson and his wife, Melinda Karlsson, have alleged that Sens forward Mike Hoffman's fiancee has been harassing them online since November.

According to Shaamini Yogaretnam of the Ottawa Citizen, Melinda filed an order of protection against Monika Caryk.

The Karlssons had a stillborn son in March, and Melinda said Caryk taunted her and her husband about it on social media: "Monika Caryk has uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead. She also uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should 'take out' my husband's legs to 'end his career.' Monika Caryk has posted over 1,000 negative and derogatory statements about me as a professional."

Hoffman has denied the allegations on behalf of Caryk.

Hoffman said: "There is a 150 percent chance that my fiancee Monika and I are not involved in any of the accusations that have been pursued [that are] coming our way."

He also offered support for the Karlssons and suggested that someone else is responsible for the harassment that they have dealt with:

"We've offered to cooperate and do anything it takes to find out who is doing this, and support [the Karlssons]. Obviously this is a tough time that they're going through, and we want to find out who is doing this, because for some reason it's coming into our court, and it's 150 percent that it's not us. We have nothing to hide. We're willing to cooperate in any way to solve this and figure it out, and prove that it wasn't us."

Hoffman's agent, Robert Hooper, supported the notion that Hoffman and Caryk are innocent, but suggested that at least one of Hoffman or Karlsson will likely need to be traded: "What we've indicated to [Senators general manager] Pierre [Dorion] is that...it would be very difficult for both parties—both Erik and Mike as well as the wives and the fiancees—to co-exist in the same wives' room and the same dressing room."

Hoffman is signed for two more seasons, while Karlsson has just one year remaining on his contract.

They are arguably Ottawa's two best players. Hoffman has scored 20 or more goals in four consecutive seasons, and Karlsson is a two-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top defenseman.

An offseason rebuild was already a possibility for the Senators after they finished last season with just 67 points, which was the second-worst mark in the NHL.

The circus that is the NHL trade deadline is Monday, and while it seems major names like Erik Karlsson will stay put, there are plenty of rumors surrounding other prominent players.

Potential No. 1 goaltenders do not typically get moved in late February, but Petr Mrazek became the first notable domino to fall when the Philadelphia Flyers snagged him from the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. However, recent reports indicate more trades are on the way.

Will top offensive players like Derick Brassard, Mike Hoffman and others be changing address in the next few days? Well, there seems to be some smoke—fire could soon follow.

     

Hoffman Staying Put?

The Ottawa Senators looked to be on a meteoric path toward Stanley Cup contention after losing in double-overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final last year before landing Matt Duchene in early November. Fast-forward three months, and the outlook is drastically different.

Ottawa is the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference, with 51 points, and the franchise could be on the verge of a fire sale. It should come as no surprise Hoffman has become quite the commodity, and his name has surfaced in trade talk in recent days.

The most buzz-worthy report came Saturday, when NHL.com's Lou Korac, writing on his personal blog "In The Slot," cited a source as saying the Senators and St. Louis Blues were in "serious talks" for a Hoffman deal. While that could have been the case, the latest rumors indicate the contrary.

Per TSN's Frank Seravalli, it is "increasingly likely" Hoffman remains in Ottawa. Seravalli reported that general manager Pierre Dorion is less inclined to deal the sniper, with Seravalli speculating it could have something to do with his chemistry with Duchene, who has 21 points in his past 19 games.

The reasons for keeping Hoffman are similar to why he is considered so desirable on the trade market.

At 28, Hoffman's $5.19 million cap hit for the following two seasons is rather team-friendly considering his top-end scoring abilities. Hoffman topped the 25-goal mark in each of the previous three seasons, including a career-best 61 points last year. While he may be having a bit of a down campaign, he could top that mark again given he's on 16 goals after 58 games.

Legitimate top-six scoring is hard to find, so having Hoffman reportedly off of the board is tough news for some contenders in need of more offensive punch. Should he become available again, either at the deadline or this offseason, cap-strapped squads like the Blues or the Edmonton Oilers could be nice fits.

Ottawa would receive an awfully nice package as well, which would surely include a first-round pick and/or a top prospect.

For now, though, it appears the Hoffman sweepstakes is on hold.

          

Speaking of the Senators...

He may not be in the same offensive tier as Hoffman, but Brassard is still a good center, and he seems much more likely to be on his way out.

The 30-year-old is reportedly on the trade block, and TSN's Darren Dreger reported there is definite interest from around the league:

Brassard is an interesting target this week. Sens need to make a hockey deal. Multiple teams, including Pittsburgh, are in the mix.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 19, 2018

Brassard is no stranger to being dealt. He was a key piece in the Rick Nash trade of 2013, going with the power forward from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the New York Rangers. In July 2016, the Rangers shipped Brassard to Ottawa for Mika Zibanejad, who is five years younger.

The center did well in a top-six role in New York, putting up a combined 118 points from 2014 to 2016. However, his offensive production has slightly dipped in the years since. He failed to top 40 points last season, and he has 35 points in 56 games this term.

Still, Brassard has skill, and his ability to play in all situations makes him a desirable asset to a contending team. The focus shifts to what the Senators believe he is worth and whether someone is willing to pay it.

TSN's Pierre LeBrun shed some light on that recently:

Senators talking to teams about Derick Brassard; price is believed to be a 1st RD pick, top prospect plus 3rd piece. Brassard has another year left on his deal next season at $5 M aav although it's $3.5 M in real cash

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 12, 2018

It is possible this price has changed since LeBrun's report, but it is still high for a player who would likely be a third center on most contending teams. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins, a team Dreger specifically mentioned, would be a great fit. They have yet to find a suitable replacement for Nick Bonino, who played a huge role in the last two Cup runs. Riley Sheahan has been playing better, with eight points in his past 10 games, but an upgrade is still needed.

Brassard could contribute in both special teams areas and solidify Pittsburgh's top nine, but is this move feasible?

The Penguins have less than $1 million in cap space, so they would need to ship a roster player while also having Ottawa eat a good chunk of Brassard's salary. Including Matt Hunwick and his $2.25 million cap hit in a deal that sees the Senators pay half of Brassard's remaining money works, but that would also require Pittsburgh to sweeten the trade.

Pittsburgh is 17-4-1 since Jan. 1 and is once again a major threat to win a Stanley Cup. Making this deal would only enhance that sentiment, so it may be worth it for both parties for the Penguins to include a first-round pick in a Brassard trade along with a legitimate prospect like Daniel Sprong. It would be a high price, but that is what it takes to go all the way in the spring.

If Brassard is dealt, expect Pittsburgh to be heavily involved and for a deal to look like this.

            

Statistics are courtesy of hockeyDB.com. Contract information is courtesy of CapFriendly. 

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk said Friday he won't consider selling the NHL franchise despite lagging revenue but that relocation could be an option if the financial numbers don't improve.

Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.com passed along comments from Melnyk, who said the market in Canada's capital must "prove itself" to ensure the team's future.

"If it becomes a disaster, yes," he said. "If you start not seeing crowds showing up, yes. But for now, we are on the cusp of doing OK. It's a direct relationship, make no mistake about it, between revenue and how much you spend on players.

"We are one of the biggest spenders in this league. We spend $68 million a year. Everyone says, 'You are cheap.' Are you kidding me? Even at $68 million, that's way too much over a revenue base that we have."

Melnyk purchased the Senators and the Corel Centre, the club's home arena that's now known as the Canadian Tire Centre, for a reported $125 million to $130 million in 2003.

Forbes valued the organization at $420 million in November, with $135 million in revenue and $10 million in operating income.

The Sens rank 22nd in the league in average attendance in 2017-18 at 16,448 fans per game, representing 81.3 percent capacity, per ESPN.com.

Wyshynski noted Melnyk, who's seeking money to either renovate the Canadian Tire Centre or to build a new arena, said he would consider relocation before a sale.

"Imagine if you own a McDonald's franchise, but you can move it," he said. "But why would you sell it? It's something that's very difficult to buy. We're doing OK here. We're not doing great, but we're doing OK."

The comments come with Seattle among the cities interested in an NHL team, with a $600 million renovation planned for the city's KeyArena.

The Colorado Avalanche reached an agreement Sunday to trade center Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators, the Denver Post's Nick Groke reported.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the deal also includes the Nashville Predators. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Kyle Turris will move from the Senators to the Predators and sign a six-year, $36 million extension. Friedman provided the additional details on the trade:

https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/927328405107777536

Turris provides the Predators with a much-needed offensive threat, entering the day with nine total points after tallying 55 last season. The 28-year-old has been a consistent passer throughout his career but stepped up his scoring in 2016-17 with a career-high 27 goals.

Nashville has struggled to replace the retired Mike Fisher, leaving Ryan Johansen as the only reliable center on the roster. Turris represents an immediate upgrade while bringing the experience needed to once again contend for a title.

Meanwhile, Duchene had emerged as one of the most-talked-about names leading up to the NHL's trade deadline last season, so the fact he's changing teams doesn't come as a major shock. It's the latest step by the Avs to restock the organization as they undergo a rebuilding phase.

The 26-year-old Ontario native, who racked up a career-high 30 goals in the 2015-16 campaign, failed to match that success as Colorado finished with the league's worst record this past season. He tallied 18 goals and 23 assists across 77 games with a lack of talent around him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL3LDNSoxIk

Although the Avalanche didn't have any draft luck, dropping to the No. 4 spot after holding the best odds to land the top pick, they are still trending in the right direction for the future.

Between the high draft pick, the haul from this trade and other forward-thinking moves in recent years, the outlook is starting to get brighter for Colorado.

Moving Duchene just as he's about to hit what's typically an athlete's peak years still represents a move that could backfire, though. While his overall numbers last season weren't among the league's elite, there should be a noticeable jump once he arrives in a more competitive club.

Micah Blake McCurdy of HockeyViz.com provided a look at the advanced numbers from January, which showed the forward continued to produce at a high rate:

Matt Duchene (possibly invented trade rumours a-swirlin') is having a great year while his team crumbles around him. pic.twitter.com/8yai0RKbGB

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) January 31, 2017

That's why he remained a hot commodity despite a pricey contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million, per Spotrac. The fact he's under team control for two more years took some risk out of the equation.

Duchene has been preparing for this moment for a while now. He told Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post in January he was ready to move on if that's what the Avs decided to do.

"I'm open to it," he said. "When I say open to it, I know it's part of the business, and it's something that might happen. I'm not hiding from it. I'm not running away. I'm not banging my head. I understand it's part of what we deal with as pro athletes."

All told, he carries the potential to make a massive impact on the Senators moving forward. He's done well to live up to the hype since getting selected with the third overall pick in 2009, and there's no reason to believe that will change following the trade.

It wouldn't even be a surprise if Duchene ends up among the league's top scorers during his first season with the new club as long as he receives consistent top-six and power-play minutes in Ottawa.

The Ottawa Senators announced Friday that they had agreed to a two-year contract extension with goalie Craig Anderson.

The team noted that Anderson will earn $5.5 million in 2018-19 and $4 million in 2019-20 for an annual cap hit of $4.75 million.

Among seasons in which he appeared in at least 40 games, the 2016-17 campaign was by far the best of Anderson's career.

The 36-year-old went 25-11-4 during the regular season with a 2.28 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and five shutouts.

Anderson's great play continued during the playoffs to the tune of an 11-8 record, with a 2.34 goals-against average, .922 save percentage and one shutout as part of a run that saw the Sens reach double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Illinois native has been with the Senators since 2010-11 after previous stints with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche.

Anderson missed two months of action last season while his wife, Nicholle, had nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a form of cancer.

The Ottawa Senators announced Saturday that former general manager and head coach Bryan Murray died at the age of 74.

Senators owner Eugene Melnyk released the following statement: "Bryan was one of the greatest men that the game of hockey has ever known and also a great father, mentor and teacher. We extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Geri, daughters, Heide and Brittany and the entire Murray family on their loss."

Murray was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in 2014.

The Shawville, Quebec, Canada, native served as the Sens' GM from 2007 until stepping down in 2016 to take an advisory role with the organization.

Murray was also Ottawa's head coach from 2005-06 through 2007-08, leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.

He also previously had head coaching stints with the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks.

During his coaching career, Murray went 620-465-131-23, and made the playoffs 13 times in 17 seasons.

In Murray's nine seasons as Ottawa's general manager, the Senators made the postseason on six occasions.

Murray is survived by his brother, Terry, who is a veteran NHL coach, as well as his nephew, Tim, who was the Buffalo Sabres' general manager until his firing in April.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson was named the 2017 Masterton Trophy winner at Wednesday night's NHL Awards in Las Vegas. 

Anderson beat out Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano and Carolina Hurricanes forward Derek Ryan for the hardware, which recognizes perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. 

Congrats to Craig Anderson on winning the 2017 Bill Masterton Trophy. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/ITP1dUDpA9

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) June 22, 2017

According to NHL.com, Anderson was considered for the award after he took "several leaves of absence to be with his wife, Nicholle, who was diagnosed with a rare form of throat cancer in October."

"This has been a year filled with unexpected challenges," Anderson said in April, per the Canadian Press (via Sportsnet). "I have to thank the entire hockey community for the support and compassion they have shown for both Nicholle and our family this season. The number of people who have reached out to us has been overwhelming."

All told, Anderson appeared in 40 regular-season games and went 25-11-4 with a .926 save percentage to complement a 2.28 goals-against average in those starts. 

Thanks, in part, to Anderson's efficient prowess, the Senators finished second in the Atlantic Division with 98 points before they made a run to the Eastern Conference Final. 

In the playoffs, Anderson proved brilliant yet again when he went 11-8 with a .922 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average. 

The Ottawa Senators kept their season alive with a 2-1 Game 6 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday.

Mike Hoffman's goal at the start of the third period was the difference, and Sens goalie Craig Anderson made 45 saves in the win.

Pittsburgh entered Tuesday with a 3-2 series lead and all of the momentum after a 7-0 win in Game 5, but Ottawa evened the series at three and forced a Game 7 Thursday.

The teams were tied 1-1 until Hoffman fired one home just over a minute into the third period:

My oh my. What a shot. #StanleyCup #PITvsOTT https://t.co/HwnWZntnLj

— NHL (@NHL) May 24, 2017

Anderson took care of the rest with one of his best games of the playoffs, allowing just one goal two days after being pulled in the first period of a blowout.

Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray wasn't able to keep up his magic from Game 5, allowing two goals on 30 shot attempts. It was also his first loss in three games since re-entering the lineup for Marc-Andre Fleury.

There was plenty of action throughout the game but not a lot of scoring. Devin Heroux of CBC compared the 0-0 first-period score to the early blowout in Game 5:

Well -- it's not 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 or even 4-0 in the first period. So that's the good news in this hockey game, right? #StanleyCup

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) May 24, 2017

Evgeni Malkin finally notched the first score of the game after many close chances, including one apparent goal that was called back because of goalie interference.

The goal was a great individual effort from the league's playoff points leader (24):

There ain't no stoppin' Evgeni Malkin!
Stream → https://t.co/epNMpbN4T0 pic.twitter.com/ev0uV95cfi

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 24, 2017

Ottawa was able to equalize later in the period, although it took a five-on-three situation to get anything going.

This Bobby Ryan goal not only tied the game 1-1, but it was the first power-play goal in 30 opportunities for the Senators, dating back to last round:

A blistering wrister from Bobby Ryan and Canadian Tire Centre goes berserk. #StanleyCup #PITvsOTT https://t.co/l6s4unbsp8

— NHL (@NHL) May 24, 2017

The score remained locked at one apiece until Hoffman knocked a shot past Murray early in the third period to give the home team its first lead.

Tom Gulitti of NHL.com described the response:

Sens and Pens look like different teams since that Hoffman goal. Sens are pressuring in Pens end. Pens having trouble getting up ice.

— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 24, 2017

Pittsburgh had a few opportunities in the closing minutes, but Anderson fended off all challenges to preserve the 2-1 victory. 

The teams will contest a Game 7 in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

While anything can happen in a winner-take-all battle, the Penguins already showed they could handle that type of pressure when they beat the Washington Capitals in seven games last round. Meanwhile, the Senators are 0-5 in Game 7s throughout their franchise history, per Hockey Reference.

They will have to snap that streak on the road to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2007.

Bobby Ryan scored 4:59 into overtime Saturday to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

The goal marked Ryan's fifth of the playoffs and rewarded a strong defensive performance by the Sens, highlighted by goaltender Craig Anderson stopping 27 of the 28 shots he faced.

Sportsnet provided a look at Ryan's game-winner on a partial breakaway:

Bobby Ryan scores in OT and the Ottawa Senators win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.https://t.co/SNEWoUREJv pic.twitter.com/HnRMd4a6oP

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2017

Evgeni Malkin scored with 5:35 left in the third to force overtime, but Ottawa's tight-checking style was successful, as it held Penguins captain Sidney Crosby to just two shots on goal.

Saturday's victory marked the Sens' sixth overtime win of the 2017 playoffs.

Pittsburgh largely dominated the first period in terms of puck possession and quality chances, as the Senators were called for four minor penalties.

Although Pens winger Patric Hornqvist rung a shot off the post on one of Pittsburgh's power plays, the Ottawa penalty kill was flawless.

The Sens gained momentum by killing off a five-on-three power play and went on to open the scoring 14:32 into the game, when forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau beat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury after a picture-perfect, no-look pass by Ryan, as seen in this video courtesy of the NHL's official Twitter account:

Ryan to Pageau.
Perfect combo. Unreal goal.#StanleyCup #OTTvsPIT https://t.co/S398HO9UeO

— NHL (@NHL) May 14, 2017

That goal marked Pageau's eighth of the postseason, and it continued his career-long trend of playoff excellence, according to TSN's Brent Wallace:

Pageau now has 12 goals in 29 career playoff games. 0.41gpg

— Brent Wallace (@CIHwally) May 13, 2017

Ottawa once again found itself on the penalty kill after an interference call on Mark Stone 7:33 into the second period.

The Penguins continued to press for the tying goal, but Anderson was on top of his game, making saves such as this remarkable glove stop on defenseman Justin Schultz's tipped point shot:

That's A LOT harder than it looks. #StanleyCup #OTTvsPIT https://t.co/W9covJ8ZbU

— NHL (@NHL) May 14, 2017

Anderson preserved the 1-0 lead, and Ottawa nearly added to it with seven minutes remaining in the middle frame.

Forward Alexandre Burrows put the puck past Fleury on a wraparound, but it was ruled no goal because of the official having intent to blow the whistle after losing sight of it.

Kurt Ludlow of WSYX in Columbus, Ohio, was among those who disagreed with the decision:

#Sens goal clearly PRIOR to whistle waved off because refs "were in the process of blowing their whistles." Oookay @NHL @penguins @Senators

— Kurt Ludlow (@KurtWSYX6) May 14, 2017

Despite the controversy, Ottawa held the advantage entering the third period, as it largely stymied Pittsburgh during five-on-five play.

As pointed out by Murray Pam of the Hockey News, the Penguins struggled mightily to set up shop in the offensive zone:

#Sens are near perfect in the defensive zone - not allowing #Pens time and space. Constant active sticks.

— Murray Pam (@Pammerhockey) May 14, 2017

The Penguins possessed the puck for much of the first 14 minutes of the third period, with Ottawa seemingly content to stay on defense.

That strategy appeared to be working until Pittsburgh finally broke through when Chris Kunitz blindly threw a shot toward the net and Malkin deflected it past Anderson to tie the game at 1-1:

League-leading 19th point for Geno.
Another comeback to send it to OT.
Clutch hockey at its finest. #StanleyCup https://t.co/rPd0PMCpk2

— NHL (@NHL) May 14, 2017

Malkin made the play happen with remarkable hand-eye coordination, prompting Dimitri Filipovic of Sportsnet to sing the Russian superstar's praises:

I feel like as a hockey community we haven't spent nearly enough time and energy appreciating Evgeni Malkin. My goodness what a freak

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) May 14, 2017

With that marker, Malkin further solidified his place in Penguins playoff history, according to Josh Getzoff of PensTV:

Evgeni Malkin has passed Jaromir Jagr for 3rd all time in #Pens history with 148 points in playoff action.

— Josh Getzoff (@JG_PxP) May 14, 2017

Phil Kessel hit the crossbar shortly after Malkin tied it up, but Ottawa was able to escape the period, and the teams headed to overtime.

Ottawa didn't allow Pittsburgh's late goal to swing the momentum too greatly, as Ryan continued his impressive playoff performance with his third game-winning goal of the postseason.

The Senators won each of their first two series in six games, and they were a slightly fresher team Saturday after the Washington Capitals took Pittsburgh to seven games last round.

Ottawa has made a habit of shutting down the opposition's top scorers while finding timely scoring of its own, and it will need to continue that trend for the rest of the series to upset the high-powered Pens.

The Ottawa Senators are headed to the Eastern Conference Final.

Ottawa completed its second-round series win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden with a 4-2 victory in Game 6. It marked the first time a road team won a game in this series and clinched the Senators' first appearance in the Eastern Conference Final since they lost the 2007 Stanley Cup Final.

Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone, Erik Karlsson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau all scored for the victors, while goals from Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider weren't enough to counter for New York. Karlsson also assisted on Hoffman's goal and drew rave reviews from Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star:

Erik Karlsson: the best player in the playoffs so far

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) May 10, 2017

Karlsson wasn't the only Senators star Tuesday.

Goaltender Craig Anderson notched 37 saves on 39 shots and was particularly impressive at the start and end of the game. New York consistently attacked the crease in the final minutes with the desperation that corresponds to impending elimination, but Anderson stood strong.

He also saved all 13 of New York's shots in the first period and didn't allow a goal during the Rangers' eight minutes of power plays, six of which came in the first.

Dan Rosen of NHL.com praised Anderson's opening efforts:

This is the best Craig Anderson has looked since Game 1, and it's not even close. Finished first period with 13 saves.

— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) May 10, 2017

Anderson's counterpart, Henrik Lundqvist, is one of the greats of his era but was a step too slow against Ottawa's attack, saving 22 of 25.

Ottawa tried a new strategy against Lundqvist and scored the initial goal for the first time all series, which set the tone. Hoffman silenced the home fans in the opening five minutes when he deflected Karlsson's shot into the net, which left Steve Warne of TSN 1200 stunned:

Scoring first? I feel light headed...

— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) May 9, 2017

The Rangers were stunned as well when Stone glided up the left side and fired the second goal of the first period right past Lundqvist.

Stone's goal was upheld upon offside review, leading to an amusing reaction, as Graham Creech of TSN shared:

Mark Stone is the greatest pic.twitter.com/2Mrum8VVDg

— Graham Creech (@Creech__) May 10, 2017

Ottawa's third goal came when Karlsson buried a one-timer past Lundqvist, but a troublesome pattern of defensive breakdowns arose for the visitors after the first period. 

Zibanejad and Kreider each broke free behind the defense in the second and third periods, respectively, and converted point-blank looks. Karlsson's goal came less than three minutes after Zibanejad's, which stopped some of New York's momentum, but Anderson was barraged by shots in the final two periods even when Ottawa was on the power play.

It is a credit to his performance he allowed just two shots through, and Pageau's open-netter in the final seconds clinched the win.

Ottawa survived and advanced behind Anderson and the four goals and will now wait for its Eastern Conference Final opponent, with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals squaring off in their Game 7 Wednesday.