DÉJÀ VU IN OTTAWA AS SENATORS MOUNT ANOTHER LATE COMEBACK WIN
* Turris scored his third Stanley Cup Playoff game-winning goal, each of which have come in overtime (all w/ OTT) - Daniel Alfredsson (2 in 121 GP) is the other Senators player with multiple career overtime goals in the postseason. * Elias notes that Turris, who has played 38 NHL playoff games (34 w/ OTT), became the
to score three overtime goals within his first 40 career postseason games. Four players in NHL history have totaled more than four career playoff overtime goals.
* Erik Karlsson (0-3-3) had his first career three-point game in the postseason (40 GP), including an assist on the tying and winning goals. Karlsson, who leads Ottawa with 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) this postseason (11 GP), established Senators records for assists and points in one playoff year by a defenseman. * The Senators have trailed by at least one goal in five of their seven wins this postseason, including three games where they erased a multi-goal deficit to win (also Game 2 of first round vs. BOS and Game 2 of second round vs. NYR). Elias notes that Ottawa rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win four times in 132 all-time playoff games prior to 2017. * Overall, 25 of 62 games this postseason (40.3%) have seen the winning team overcome a deficit of at least one goal, including 13 that erased a multi-goal deficit to win.
SATURDAY'S RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
OTTAWA 5, NY Rangers 4 (OT) - OTT leads 3-2
WASHINGTON 4, Pittsburgh 2 - PIT leads 3-2
LATE-GAME HEROICS CONTINUE
A tying goal was scored in the final two minutes of the third period for the second straight day and fifth time in the second round (20 GP). * Overall, there have been 10 tying goals in the final five minutes of the third period in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (62 GP). Elias notes that only five other playoff years in NHL history have featured at least 10 tying goals in the final five minutes of the third: 13 in 2012 (86 GP); 11 in 1993 (85 GP) and 2014 (93 GP); and 10 in 2001 (86 GP) and 2006 (83 GP). * The team that scores the late tying goal has won six of the 10 games this postseason, with the Senators (2), Anaheim Ducks (2), Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens accounting for the victories.
60 IS NOT ENOUGH (YET AGAIN)
The Rangers and Senators skated in the fifth overtime game of the second round (20 GP) and 23rd of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (62 GP). Five playoff years in NHL history have featured more than 23 overtime games: Most Overtime Games in One Playoff Year, NHL History
28 1993 (85 GP, 32.9%)
27 2013 (86 GP, 31.4%)
26 2014 (93 GP, 28.0%)
26 2001 (86 GP, 30.2%)
25 2012 (86 GP, 29.1%) 23 2017 (62 GP, 37.1%) * Ottawa improved to 5-1 in overtime in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs to establish a Senators record for most overtime wins in a single postseason, besting the mark set in 2003 when they posted a 4-0 record past regulation (their only other playoff year with at least four overtime contests).
CAPITALS RALLY IN THIRD PERIOD TO EXTEND SERIES
Trailing 2-1 to start the third period, the Washington Capitals scored three unanswered goals -- including goals 27 seconds apart by Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin -- to stave off elimination and force Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. * The Capitals won a playoff game they trailed entering the third period for the 10th time in their history. Saturday was the third time in 2016-17 (regular-season and playoffs) the Penguins lost a game when leading after two periods. Pittsburgh ranked second in the League (37-1-1) in that scenario during the regular season behind Washington (41-1-1). * Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom, who scored the tying goal at 2:49 of the third period to trigger the comeback, share the Capitals lead with five goals apiece this postseason. Backstrom paces Washington with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (11 GP), including five points (three goals, two assists) in five games against the Penguins. * Ovechkin has at least one point in 15 of 18 career playoff games against the Penguins (12-14-26) -- an average of 1.44 points per game -- including five points (two goals, three assists) in five games this year.
DID YOU KNOW?
This marks the third time in the past nine years and fifth time under the four-round Stanley Cup Playoffs format (since 1975) that all four series in the second round require at least six games. The other instances: 1986 (one decided in Game 6, three in Game 7), 1999 (all four decided in Game 6), 2009 (one decided in Game 6, three in Game 7) and 2014 (two decided in Game 6, two in Game 7).
LOOSE PUCKS
Forty-one of 62 games in the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs (66.1%) have been decided by one goal . . . Elias notes that 13 of 20 games in the second round (65%) have featured a game-winning goal scored in either the third period (8) or overtime (5) . . . Sidney Crosby earned his 96th NHL playoff assist (all w/ PIT, 133 GP) to tie Mario Lemieux (96 in 107 GP) for first place in Penguins history . . . Goaltender Craig Anderson (29 saves) earned his 17th career playoff victory with the Senators (32 GP) to move within one of tying Ray Emery (18 in 30 GP) for second place in their history . . . Senators forward Derick Brassard (1-0-1), who played with the Rangers from 2013-16, scored the tying goal with 1:26 remaining in the third period, his first point of the series after leading Ottawa with eight points (two goals, six assists) in the first round . . . ICYMI: The Stanley Cup made an appearance at the Kentucky Derby.
SNEAK PEEK AT SUNDAY'S ACTION
All Times Eastern
St. Louis @ Nashville, NSH leads 3-2, 3 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, NBC
Anaheim @ Edmonton, ANA leads 3-2, 7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, NBCSN
PREDATORS, DUCKS SET SIGHTS ON WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
The Western Conference Final could be set Sunday when the Nashville Predators and Ducks aim to advance in Game 6 of their series against the St. Louis Blues and Oilers, respectively. Nashville, which has three of its four series-clinching victories on home ice, aims to play past the second round for the first time in its 19-year history. Anaheim, meanwhile, has overcome a multi-goal deficit in each of its past two games -- including a historic three-goal comeback in the final 3:16 of the third period in a double-overtime victory in Game 5 -- to move within one victory of its fifth appearance in the conference finals and second in the past three seasons.
