Sunday Stanley Cup Daily: The Next Generation

Canes Country’s daily snap shots recapping yesterday’s action in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images

Ottawa Senators 4, Boston Bruins 3 (Series tied 1-1)

You want to see the face of dread? Look at the Senators’ bench as the second period wound down in Game 2 against the Bruins, down 3-1.

You want to see ecstasy? Watch the Senators’ bench clearing out as Dion Phaneuf scores the game-winner in overtime.

The Senators won an up-and-down game 4-3 in overtime to even the series at 1 before heading to Boston. After Mark Borowiecki slid feet first into the boards and limped off in the first period, the matchup really became a game of whose limited defense would withstand fatigue. The Bruins outskated and outshot Ottawa in the second to take a 3-1 advantage, but the Senators body-checked and passed their way to a 3-3 tie in the third period.

In the end, it was Phaneuf’s patience that got the winner. The big defenseman barely corralled a puck flying towards the blue line, sent a deflection off the pad of Tuukka Rask, and waited for a pass and some traffic to fire once more, beating Rask through the five hole. Game 3 will be Monday in Boston, a city with two current playoff teams (Bruins and Celtics), so expect it to be wild at TD Garden. -Jake Crouse

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Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Washington Capitals 3 (2OT) (Series tied 1-1)

For the second straight game in the series it took extra time to settle it, and for the second straight game, it was a fourth liner who played hero. This time it was the Maple Leafs emerging victorious, Kasperi Kapanen winning the game on the Maple Leafs’ 51st shot with his second goal of the night.

The Leafs again claimed a lead in the first period with a goal from James van Riemsdyk. However, the Caps answered with two straight power play goals from Alex Ovechkin and John Carlson. Despite taking the lead from goals by Kasperi Kapanen and Morgan Rielly, the Leafs struggled in the third period for the second straight night, and the Caps sent the game into overtime off of a third period goal from Nicklas Backstrom. It took almost 32 minutes of extra hockey to decide a winner, Kapanen tapping in a behind-the-back pass from Brian Boyle to send the Leafs into delirium and Caps fans into panic once again.

The Leafs have now taken home ice advantage from the Caps, as they head to Toronto for games 3 and 4. Auston Matthews has struggled thus far in the playoffs, and the Leafs will need him to eventually contribute to have any shot to win the series. -Zeke Lukow

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Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Nashville Predators 5, Chicago Blackhawks 0 (NSH leads series 2-0)

Whatever was ailing the Blackhawks' scorers in Game 1 decided to linger for the second meeting, as Chicago was once again shockingly shut out by the Predators at United Center. But this time, Nashville's scorers had their way and then some with the Hawks' defense and goaltender Corey Crawford as they put five goals past #50 on just 29 shots.

The Predators' goals came from five different scorers, including a bomb from defenseman Ryan Ellis to start the scoring in the first period. Harry Zolnierczyk and Colton Sissons tallied in the second period, while Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala poured it on in the third.

But the star of the game — as he was in Game 1 — was Pekka Rinne. He added a save to his total from Game 1 as he turned aside 30 shots, bringing his series total to 59 saves and zero goals allowed. But perhaps even more impressively, he put up a multi-point night with two assists.

Yes, Pekka Rinne has more points in the series than any Blackhawks player. Playoffs, I guess.

The series will now shift to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for game 3 on Monday night at 9:30. -Peter Dewar

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Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Anaheim Ducks 3, Calgary Flames 2 (ANA leads 2-0)

Once again, the Calgary Flames put themselves in a situation where they could have taken a game on the road, but instead, the Anaheim Ducks escaped Game 2 with a 3-2 victory, extending their Honda Center win streak against the Flames to 29 games and taking a 2-0 series lead.

The Ducks were flying out of the gate, netting a pair of goals in the opening seven minutes of period one thanks to Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell, but the Flames stuck around and put pressure on the home team. Mikael Backlund found the back of the net just before the end of the first period, and Sean Monahan scored his second of the series mid-way through period two to knot things up at two.

Then things got wacky.

A late third-period power play for the Ducks resulted in an incredible bounce. Ryan Getzlaf centered a puck into the middle of the offensive zone, and it redirected off of Flames forward Lance Bouma's skate from the high slot and went past Brian Elliott blocker-side.

From there, the Flames tried to fight back but were only able to get three shots on John Gibson in the final 4:46 of play.

With the win, Anaheim has a stranglehold on the series as the two teams head to Alberta for games three and four. It's do or die time for the Flames after watching two winnable games slip away. -Brett Finger