[Hockey News]

OTTAWA (AP) -Daniel Alfredsson and the Ottawa Senators have some cramming to do before facing the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup final.

The teams, set to open the finals Monday night in Anaheim, didn't face each other this season and haven't met in Anaheim since Oct. 17, 2003, when Senators goalie Patrick Lalime made 30 saves in a 3-0 victory.

In fact, they have played only once since then, with Anaheim's Chris Kunitz beating Dominik Hasek for the shootout winner in Ottawa on Jan. 19, 2006.

"I haven't seen them much, a period here and there during the playoffs," said Alfredsson, the Senators' captain. "I think it will be the most physical series so far. They're a bigger team and they have some skilled guys as well."

Senators preparing for unfamiliar Ducks

[Hockey News]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Bryan Murray proudly wore his Ottawa Senators warmup suit with the big Stanley Cup finals logo on his chest.

He couldn't help but also feel pride for his opponent, the Anaheim Ducks, a team he had a big hand in building.

Murray coached the Ducks in the 2001-02 season and moved up to the front office for a two-year term. Anaheim jumped 26 points in his first year in the post and got to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals before falling short against the New Jersey Devils in 2003.

But the foundation was built. And when presented with a chance to go home and return to his place behind the bench, he couldn't say no to Senators GM John Muckler.

"I've said this many times. It was a very, very difficult decision to leave," Murray said Sunday, one day before the Ducks and Senators were to face off in the finals opener. "John gave me an opportunity to go back to my home area and to coach a good hockey team."

Murray coaches Senators with place in his heart for Ducks

[Lefty Noob]

Man, I am soooooo glad the series kicks off tonight. The wait has been excrutiating!

[kievqueen]

To add: The series begins tonight on Versus. With an hour of coverage beginning at 7pm. and THE PUCK DROPS AT 8:00. YES! We are all having "Hockey Withdrawals" here!

[Hockey News]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -When a bouncing puck found Travis Moen in the slot, he was every bit as dangerous as Teemu Selanne, instead of the checker he's paid to be.

Moen wasted no time and snapped a shot past Ray Emery with 2:51 left, giving the Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Senators in the Stanley Cup finals opener Monday night. Moen's fifth of the playoffs came after Ryan Getzlaf's tying goal 11:25 earlier erased the 2-1 lead Ottawa carried into the third period.

Rob Niedermayer kept the play alive with a sweeping move behind the net, then nudged the puck in his checking linemate's direction.

"It was kind of bouncing and I got lucky," Moen said. "I caught it on the way down, got a lucky shot and it went in. It was huge.

"I think every kid dreams of scoring a goal to win a game in the Stanley Cup final."

Ducks 3, Senators 2

[blazinsabrez61]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Man, I am soooooo glad the series kicks off tonight. The wait has been excrutiating!

no...no
i rly dont care so much
i watched it, but i didnt rly feel anything
except some excitement when the ducks won

[Hockey News]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -After one game, Senators coach Bryan Murray has seen enough ineffectiveness from his high-flying, top forward line.

Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Daniel Alfredsson: consider yourselves on notice. If things don't pick up Wednesday in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, Ottawa's top trio could be in for some big changes.

A breakup almost happened in the opener, but Murray avoided making a panic move.

The unit that combined for 23 goals and 58 points through the first three rounds of the playoffs, managed only two assists against Anaheim's line of Rob Niedermayer, Samuel Pahlsson and Travis Moen in the Ducks' 3-2 win Monday night.

Senators' scorers need to start doing their thing

[Lefty Noob]

Not sure I'd want to break up the line just because of one bad game. They played well enough to get the Sens here, why tinker now?

[blazinsabrez61]

wow thats a pretty bold move on his part
u cant just base how a line plays from 1 game
harsh

[Hockey News]

The Ducks have a chance to take a 3-0 lock on the best-of-seven series with a win in Game 3 on Saturday night. Game 4 is on Monday night.

"It'll be a benefit to us - our crowd has been great all year and the ice here will help us, too," said Ottawa winger Dany Heatley.

The Senators felt the soft ice in Anaheim was a factor in slowing their high-powered attack in 3-2 and 1-0 losses to the Ducks, in which the top line of Heatley, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson was particularly quiet.

"We don't use it as an excuse, but we're used to our ice and our fans and now we have to step it up and play our best on Saturday," added Heatley.

The Senators know all about the statistic, that only one team - the 1971 Montreal Canadiens - has ever won a Cup final series after losing the opening two games on the road since the best-of-seven format was adopted.

Senators look to comforts of home - and good ice - to bounce back in Game 3

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by Hockey News

The Senators know all about the statistic, that only one team - the 1971 Montreal Canadiens - has ever won a Cup final series after losing the opening two games on the road since the best-of-seven format was adopted.

That's a very telling statistic. I personally don't think Ottawa has what it takes to rebound from the 2-0 deficit.

[Hockey News]

OTTAWA (CP) - Daniel Alfredsson has scored some big goals for the Ottawa Senators in these playoffs, but none more controversial than the one he notched Saturday. With Anaheim leading the Senators 3-2 late in the second period, Alfredsson st...

Ottawa Senators get 'great bounce' on controversial goal by Daniel Alfredsson

[Lefty Noob]

Okay, I admit it. I didn't watch the game. Was it a goal by Alfredsson or wasn't it?

[blueandwhite]

Okay i know we've been down this road with other teams, other series but honest to God-
THAT WAS NOT A GOAL.
I was stunned when the ref pointed to centre ice. Come on.
He kicks it in - we watched the play over and over and over again.
Ottawa wins 5-3 on a crappy kicked in goal by Daniel I-kicked-it-in-And-Then Pretended-I-Didn't Alfredsson.
Crappy. Yeah the final was 5-3 , but that goal should have been thrown out and then let's see what the game would have been

[ThePundit]

At least we have a series, now.