Sens Win Double OT Thriller

For most of game six, it looked as though the Leafs were guaranteed a spot in the second round. The Senators, as in game five, were unable to get any kind of offensive attack going against a Leafs team that seemed content to sit back on their one goal lead and hold on until the end of the game.

Five minutes into the third period, Zdeno Chara tied the game for the Senators on a bad angle shot from the corner that squeaked in on the short side of Ed Belfour. Despite a couple of chances at the end of regulation, the Leafs were unable to get another goal to retake the lead. In overtime, the Senators got the majority of the quality scoring chances and eventually netted the winner seconds into the second overtime period.

A game seven that will decide the Battle of Ontario IV is now set for Tuesday at Air Canada Centre. Theoretically, this is why the Leafs won a big game on the road in their last regular season game so that they could play another big game at home. Indeed, home ice advantage is always a benefit in a game seven where the crowd can certainly have a large impact on the result of the game.

In order to be successful in the seventh game, the Leafs, who will likely be without Mats Sundin, must again play strong defensively and wait for their chances to come. They must; however, shoot more often when they get a chance at the Senators goal. Being outshot heavily in this series, the Leafs must concentrate on going to the net to help capitalize on any chance they get. They will also need a strong performance from Ed Belfour as they are not likely to score a lot of goals.