Anaheim, Calif. – Defense has come so easily to the Anaheim Ducks’ checking line, the unit is honing its scoring touch.
First Travis Moen, then Samuel Pahlsson.
Two late, third-period goals from unexpected sources have the Ducks within two wins of Southern California’s first Stanley Cup.
Pahlsson figured out sharp goalie Ray Emery with 5:44 left to give the Ducks a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals.
“We worked really hard the whole game for that one, but we couldn’t get anything by Emery,” said Pahlsson, a finalist to be the NHL’s top defensive forward. “We just try to play our game, make it easy for us and hard for them. We got some goals and we don’t expect that every game. It’s fun.”
On Saturday, the series will shift to Ottawa for the first time since 1927, and the Senators will have to figure out how to break out of a scoring funk in the next two games to earn a trip back to Anaheim. Teams that won the first two games at home have captured the Cup 29-of-30 times.
“Anybody who writes this team off is crazy,” top-line forward Jason Spezza said. “We feel like we can get a couple games at home.”
Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 16 shots for his sixth postseason shutout and first this year. He leaped as time ran out and the loud duck call vibrated through a deafening arena in the Ducks’ fifth straight postseason win.
Emery finished with 30 saves for the Senators, who lost once in each of their first three series.
After a turnover by Dany Heatley, Pahlsson carried the puck down the right-wing boards, worked around Daniel Alfredsson, and let go a shot past defenseman Joe Corvo, who had his back to him. That matched Moen’s winning tally that came with 2:51 left Monday night.
