Cup Finals in sight
OTTAWA — Daniel Alfredsson's playoff future is a lot better than his and the Ottawa Senators' postseason past.
The Senators hold a 3-0 lead over the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference finals and are one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals. Finally, the Senators captain is starting to believe the frustration he and the team has endured was worth it.
"You always go though life's ups and downs, and the belief you have is that every year is a new chance," Alfredsson said. "Even though you go through tough times, I'm not going to complain too much."
Alfredsson put the Senators in this most fortunate situation when he converted a good bounce of the puck. That was enough for Ray Emery, who made 15 saves in Ottawa's 1-0 win over the top-seeded Sabres on Monday night.
The Senators improved to an NHL-best 11-2 this postseason while winning a franchise-playoff record sixth consecutive game. That's a big switch for a team that had advanced to the conference finals only once before — losing in seven games to New Jersey in 2003 — despite making its 10th consecutive playoff appearance.
The Senators can end the series when they host Buffalo in Game 4 on Wednesday.
It's the top-seeded Sabres that are suddenly on the ropes, their high Cup hopes all but squashed.
Except for Ryan Miller's stellar 31-save effort, the Sabres came out flat. They appeared demoralized and looked nothing like the team that led the league with 53 wins and 308 regular-season goals.
Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff was left to play the only card he has remaining in his motivational tool kit.
"Well, let's add 2007," Ruff said, when reminded there have been only two NHL teams — Toronto in 1942 and the New York Islanders in 1975 — to win a series after falling into a 3-0 hole. "You've got to remain positive. We've put some real good strings together."
Ruff referred to how the Sabres matched an NHL record by winning their first 10 to start the season.
But that was a long time ago, and the Sabres have proved no match for the determined Senators, who have outchecked, outshot and outscored Buffalo all series long.
On Monday, it appeared the Sabres still had not recovered from squandering a two-goal lead in a 4-3 double-overtime loss in Game 2. That was sealed when Joe Corvo's point shot skipped past Miller.
It was another unfortunate bounce that beat Buffalo 13:40 into the second period Monday.
Dany Heatley's one-timer on the rush from the top of the right circle sailed wide and caromed hard off the end boards directly back at Miller, who was well out of his net. Miller attempted to glove the puck but missed it, inadvertently deflecting it back toward the open goal. Alfredsson stuffed it in just before it crossed the line.
"I got my hand on Heatley's shot, just enough to push it wide, and to have it fire right back at me kind of surprised me," Miller said. "Tough way to lose a game."
