Spezza's Late Goal Lifts Sens Over Habs In Ottawa
POSTED: 1:27 am EDT October 19,
2007
Ottawa, ON -- (Sports Network) - Jason Spezza scored the go-ahead goal with 6:45 remaining the third period, as the Ottawa Senators fended off the Montreal Canadiens, 4-3, at Scotiabank Place.Nick Foligno scored the first goal of his young career while Daniel Alfredsson donated three assists for the Senators, who have won seven of eight to start the season. Martin Gerber turned away 28 shots in the winning effort. Guillaume Latendresse, Michael Ryder and Alex Kovalev all lit the lamp for Montreal, which has dropped three straight. Carey Price, meanwhile, yielded four goals on 33 shots. Ottawa was in control for much of the game, but a pair of power-play tallies by the Canadiens knotted the game at 3-3. The first came on a rebound putback by Ryder with 5:28 remaining in the second. Kovalev tied it at the 12:51 mark of the third on a wrister from the bottom of the right circle. The Senators responded just 29 seconds later, however, to reclaim the lead. Alfredsson intercepted a pass in the Montreal zone, moved between the circles, and fired a snap shot that Price was able to save. Spezza pounced on the rebound, though, and stuffed it home. Gerber did the rest, denying Montreal's advances to preserve the win. Ottawa netted a power-play goal just 31 ticks into the game to take the lead. With the Senators set up in the Montreal zone, Wade Redden took a feed from Alfredsson at the point and unleashed a shot that slipped through the pads of Price. Latendresse scored the equalizer with under three minutes remaining in the first, as his seemingly harmless shot from well under the left circle found room short-side. Foligno's first goal in the NHL put the Sens back on top. The home team cane with heavy pressure early in the second, forcing the Montreal defense and netminder to scramble. Foligno ended up with the puck following a deflected shot, and wrapped around the net before stuffing the disc inside the left post with his backhand. Dany Heatley added a breakaway goal with 7:17 left in the period to make it 3-1. Alfredsson sprang Heatley with a perfect outlet pass, and the right winger cashed in with a wrister from the slot that beat Price low. Game Notes Ottawa went 5-3 against Montreal last season, including a 3-1 mark at home. The Senators have won four straight and five of six with the Canadiens...The Sens finished 1-for-4 on the power play while Montreal was 2-for-4 with the extra skater.
Copyright 2007 Courtesy of The Sports Network.







