Defenseman Anton Volchenkov scored 9:12 into the third period to
lift the visiting Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 victory over the
Penguins on Tuesday, leaving Pittsburgh on the brink of elimination
from the NHL playoffs.
The Senators, the No. 4 seeds in the Eastern Conference, lead
the best-of-seven series 3-1, and can eliminate the Penguins with a
victory in Ottawa today.
"Going back home, we want to bury them," Ottawa's Jason Spezza
told reporters. "We don't want to come back here and give them
life."
The teams split the first two games of the series in Ottawa,
before the Senators won twice in Pittsburgh.
Volchenkov, who scored one goal in 78 regular season games this
season, scored on a slap shot to put his team ahead to stay.
Elsewhere, Trevor Linden scored the winner with 5:31 left as
Vancouver pushed Dallas to the edge of playoff extinction with a
2-1 victory and move to a 3-1 lead in the series. The Canucks can
wrap things up today in Vancouver.
Mike Giordano and Jarome Iginla scored third-period goals as
Calgary rallied for a 3-2 win over Detroit to get back into the
series at 2-1. Game Four is today in Calgary.
Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves as Minnesota Wild staved off
elimination with a 4-1 win over Anaheim. The Ducks try again to end
the series at home today, leading 3-1.
Michael Nylander registered a hat-trick and an assist and
Jaromir Jagr set up four goals as the Rangers blasted Atlanta 7-0
in New York to take a 3-0 series lead. New York was going for the
sweep yesterday.
(China Daily via Agencies April 19, 2007)