Stanley Cup Final: Game Two

Anaheim 1, Ottawa 0
Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks, but last night he posted a goose egg. Facing just 16 shots, five of those shots came during a first-period two-man advantage when Shawn Thornton and Chris Pronger took penalties 53 seconds apart; Giguere led his team to a 1-0 win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the series. His biggest save of the night came during the flurry when he slid across the crease to deny Dany Heatley on a point-blank chance. It was the second lengthy and unproductive two-man advantage the Ottawa Senators had in the two games.
On the morning of Game 2, Jason Spezza made it clear his line was cognizant of their struggles on opening night. The Ducks’ defense has shut down the Ottawa Senators’ vaunted scoring line of Daniel Alfredsson, Spezza and Heatley, who in three-plus playoff rounds, were only shut down once, in the Game 4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. “We have responded well to challenges in the past,” Spezza said. “In the past series (against Buffalo) we went one game without scoring and the nation was up in arms. Hopefully, we can rebound.”
Ottawa Coach Bryan Murray credited Anaheim’s defence for keeping Ottawa on the outside, out of harm. “Their D and their checking line have been the stars of the series,” Murray said. “They’re doing a good job; they have the matchups they want on home ice.”
Ottawa gave the puck away 21 times, 11 by Alfredsson (6), Spezza (4) and Heatley (1). It was only the second time in the Senators’ 17 playoff games the trio was pointless. The team has gone more than 95 minutes since their last goal in period 2 of Game 1. “We’ve kind of done our job,” Pronger said. “We’ve won our two home games and let’s face it, you’re supposed to win your home games. Now it’s in their court.”
“You want to take care of home ice,” Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said. “After a big win in the first game, it’s important to come out and play another good game. I thought we played our game for most of the night.”
If it wasn’t for Ottawa goalie Ray emery, who faced 30 shots, this game might have been a blowout.
A bouncing puck that Heatley could not corral at Anaheim’s blue-line led to the only goal the Ducks would need. The decisive play began when Samuel Pahlsson picked up the turnover by Heatley in the neutral zone and carried the puck down the right wing, with defenseman Joe Corvo ahead of him in the offensive zone. Pahlsson managed to get Corvo’s back turned toward him and in that moment, he snapped a wrist shot between the defenseman’s skates past surprised Emery.
“It was a great shot,” Murray said. “He got Corvo turned around. He tried to do something with the stick, got spun and he used Corvo as a screen and hit inside the post.”
The winning goal was only another big moment for an unassuming line that has come up big in the postseason. After accounting for 24 goals as a unit in the regular season, Pahlsson, Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer have combined for 12 in 18 playoff games.
“There’s been lots of guys that have jumped in and scored the big goal,” said Moen, whose Game 1 winner also came late in the third period. “You never know. It’s the playoffs. Anyone can step up and score the big goal.”
The Senators need someone to step up in Game 3, Saturday at Ottawa, or this is going to be one very short series, not like the previous three Ottawa has enjoyed.