Bobby Ryan sparks Senators to 1-0 lead in Eastern Conference Final
NHL news and notes
by NHL Public Relations
ANOTHER OT VICTORY GIVES OTTAWA LEAD IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
Bobby Ryan (1-1-2) scored at 4:59 of overtime to power the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Ottawa has won the opening game in each of its three all-time Conference Finals appearances (also 2003 and 2007).
* The Senators improved to 6-1 in overtime in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including 3-0 on the road. Three NHL teams have more overtime wins in a single playoff year: the 1993 Montreal Canadiens (10), 2002 Carolina Hurricanes (7) and 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (7).
* Elias notes that the Senators became the sixth team in NHL history to win six of its first seven overtime games in a single postseason and the first to do so since the Mighty Ducks won each of their first seven overtime games in the 2003 playoffs.
* Ryan, who also scored in extra time in Game 3 of the first round at the Boston Bruins, became the first player in Senators history to score multiple overtime goals in a single playoff year. He leads Ottawa forwards with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 13 postseason games, including a trio of game-winning goals (also Game 4 of FR at BOS).
Video: OTT@PIT, Gm1: Ryan roofs game-winning goal in OT
SATURDAY'S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
Ottawa 2, PITTSBURGH 1 (OT) - OTT leads 1-0
AS CLOSE AS IT GETS
* The Senators and Penguins faced off in the 25th overtime game of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (70 GP), three shy of tying the NHL record for most in a single playoff year (28 in 85 GP in 1993).
* The game Saturday was the 44th one-goal game this postseason (70 GP, 62.9%). The NHL record for one-goal games in a single playoff year is 51, set in 81 games in 2007 (63.0%).
* The Senators improved to 8-2 in one-goal games in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Their only multi-goal victory came after an empty-net goal in Game 6 of the second round at the New York Rangers.
LOOSE PUCKS
Teams that win the first game in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoffs series hold an all-time series record of 456-208 (68.7%), including 9-3 this year . . . Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau (1-1-2) scored his eighth goal of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the second-most by a Senators player in a single postseason (Daniel Alfredsson: 14 in 2007) . . . Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (1-0-1) earned his League-leading 19th point of the playoffs (6-13-19). Malkin (54-94-148 in 137 GP) also moved past Jaromir Jagr (65-82-147 in 140 GP) for third place on Pittsburgh's all-time postseason points list . . . Craig Anderson (27 SV) earned his 19th playoff victory with the Senators, two shy of their record held by Patrick Lalime (21) . . . ICYMI: Patients and staff at Montreal Children's Hospital sang "Happy Birthday" to Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban in an online video.
SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Nashville @ Anaheim, NSH leads 1-0, 7:30 p.m., NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports
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