Friday April 24 7:30pm
After posting an upset in Game One of the best-of-seven series, the Ottawa Senators will try to go up two games to none when they take on the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena tonight. Bruce Gardiner put home a rebound of Janne Laukkanen's shot 5:58 into overtime as Ottawa stunned New Jersey, 2-1, on Wednesday. The Senators finished 25 points behind the Devils in the regular season, but now hold home-ice advantage against the team that had the most points in the Eastern Conference.
Alexei Yashin had the other goal for the Senators on Wednesday. He recorded just four assists in four games against the Devils in the regular season.
Ottawa killed off all four shorthanded situations in Game One and has allowed the Devils one power-play goal in 15 chances over the last five games. Doug Gilmour recorded his 50th career playoff goal in the Game One loss.
Goaltender Martin Brodeur, who led the league with 43 wins and was second to Buffalo's Dominik Hasek with 10 shutouts, needs to bounce back. He was 8-2-4 in games following a loss during the regular season.
Game Three of the best-of-seven series will take place in Ottawa's Corel Centre on Sunday.
#2 PITTSBURGH PEGUINS vs #7 MONTREAL CANADIENS
Saturday April 25 7:30pm
The Pittsburgh Penguins try to even their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at one game apiece tonight when they host the Montreal Canadiens in Game Two. Montreal edged the Penguins, 3-2, in Thursday's opener as Benoit Brunet scored with 77 seconds left in the first overtime after Andy Moog stopped a penalty shot by Alexei Morozov earlier in the extra session. The Canadiens extended their NHL record with their 14th straight playoff overtime victory, a streak that stretches back to April 22nd, 1993.
Martin Rucinsky and Peter Popovic also tallied for the Canadiens, who are looking to avoid their fourth straight first-round defeat. Montreal has not advanced to the conference semifinals since winning the Stanley Cup in 1993.
Pittsburgh has also had trouble moving past the first round. The Penguins have been ousted in the quarterfinals two of the last four years. Brad Werenka and Stu Barnes tallied for Pittsburgh on Thursday while Jaromir Jagr, who led the league in scoring with 102 points, collected just one assist, and Ron Francis, sixth in the NHL in scoring, had six shots on goal but no points.
Game Three is at Montreal on Monday.
#3 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs #6 BUFFALO SABERS
Friday April 24 7:30pm
The Philadelphia Flyers look to earn a split of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal when they host the Buffalo Sabres tonight in Game Two. Rod Brind'Amour and Chris Gratton scored 19 seconds apart midway through the third period, but allowed a late goal and fell to the Sabres, 3-2 in the opener of their best-of-seven series on Wednesday. Sean Burke, who is coming off a 22-save performance, is expected to get the start in net.
Philadelphia will be undermanned for Game Two. Defenseman Petr Svoboda, originally believed to have suffered cervical nerve damage in Wednesday's opener and would be sidelined at least a few weeks, may be back for Game Three after being diagnosed with a burner in the upper arm.
Center Mike Sillinger suffered an upper back strain in Wednesday's game and is doubtful for tonight's contest. Sillinger was checked hard by Buffalo defenseman Alexei Zhitnik in the second period Wednesday and did not return. Except for that 19-second stretch in the third period, Hasek was his usual self, making several acrobatic saves. "The Dominator" led the league with 13 shutouts, but has only two in 23 postseason contests.
Game Three of the series is Monday in Buffalo.
#4 WASHINGTON CAPITALS vs #5 BOSTON BRUINS
Friday April 24 7pm
The Boston Bruins will try to even their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at one game apiece when they battle the Washington Capitals at the MCI Center tonight. Former Capital Dimitri Khristich scored the lone goal and Byron Dafoe, another ex-Capital, made 25 saves for Bruins, who returned to the playoffs after missing the postseason for the first time in 30 years last season.
Boston will continue to look for offensive firepower from Jason Allison and likely Calder Trophy winner Sergei Samsonov, both of whom recorded assists on Khristich's goal. Allison led the Bruins with 33 goals and 50 assists during a breakout season while Samsonov paced all rookies with 22 goals and 25 assists.
The Capitals will likely have sniper Peter Bondra in the lineup after he suffered a frightening injury Wednesday. Bondra, who shared the league lead with 52 goals, returned from a second-period ankle injury that appeared would keep him out for the rest of the contest in Game One. With 9:41 remaining in the second period, Bondra was tackled behind the Bruins' net by defenseman Hal Gill and his right leg buckled beneath him. Bondra missed the remainder of the period, but returned after third-period warmups and played in the final 20 minutes.
Brian Bellows and Esa Tikkanen also scored for the Capitals in Wednesday's win. Tikkanen has 70 career playoffs goals, which ties him with Mario Lemieux and Colorado's Claude Lemieux for 10th on the all-time playoff list.
Including the regular season, the Capitals are 11-0-1 in their last 12 games on home ice and have outscored opponents, 38-16, in that span.
