Red-hot Anderson stops 41 as Sens take series lead

2011-12 Playoff Game No. 5; Home Game No. 3	Ottawa leads series 3-2
VIDEO: TORTORELLA POSTGAME
• Full Highlights | Highlight of Game | Dubinsky, Gaborik, Richards		• Henrik, Cally | Melrose Save

GAME RECAP Associated Press Craig Anderson stopped 41 shots to make Jason Spezza's first-period goal stand up, and the Ottawa Senators pushed the top-seeded Rangers to the brink of elimination with a 2-0 victory Saturday night in Game 5. The Senators, the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, have won two straight and will have a chance to knock out the Rangers on Monday night in Ottawa. If the Blueshirts can stay alive, the deciding Game 7 would be back at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Spezza added insurance by scoring an empty-net goal with 55.3 seconds remaining, and Anderson was perfect in earning his second career NHL playoff shutout. He stood tall in the third period when the Rangers pressed for the tying goal. Since the Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the first period of their 3-2 overtime loss in Game 4, Anderson has gone 116 minutes, 32 seconds without allowing a goal. Henrik Lundqvist was nearly as good in making 28 saves for New York. Ottawa would be an unlikely participant in the second round, especially if the Senators get there without captain Daniel Alfredsson, who has been sidelined since Game 2 because of a concussion following a hit by Rangers rookie Carl Hagelin. Hagelin, suspended three games by the NHL for the hit, is eligible to return Monday. The Rangers fired 15 shots at Anderson in the third period, but couldn't get a puck past him -- even during their fourth power play of the night. Spezza netted his first goal of the series 9:18 in off an assist from teenager Mark Stone, who made his NHL debut after playing junior hockey last week. • COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO OF THE GAME STAT OF THE GAME The 41 shots were the most by the Blueshirts in a playoff game since they registered 46 shots in a 2-1 double overtime win against Buffalo on April 29, 2007, in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. The last time the Rangers registered at least 41 shots in a playoff game that ended in regulation was Apr. 20, 1997, when they registered 44 shots on goal against Florida in a 3-0 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. THREE STARS (selected by newyorkrangers.com) 1. Lundqvist 2. Richards 3. McDonagh

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THE BIGGER PICTURE Rangers head coach John Tortorella has come back and won a playoff series in this situation before. His 2004 Tampa Bay team lost Game 5 in a home heartbreaker only to come back and take Games 6 and 7. That was on a bigger stage -- the Stanley Cup Finals.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- Girardi (27:48) Shots -- Richards, Stepan (7) Hits -- Girardi, Prust (6) Blocks -- McDonagh (4) Takeaways -- Callahan (2) Faceoffs -- Richards (26)

NEW YORK RANGERS' GAME 5 LINEUP VS. OTTAWA
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Brandon Dubinsky	Brad Richards	Ryan Callahan
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Ruslan Fedotenko	Brian Boyle	Brandon Prust
Mike Rupp	John Mitchell	Chris Kreider

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Marc Staal	Anton Stralman
Michael Del Zotto	Stu Bickel
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, McDonagh, Girardi, Dubinsky, Richards, Callahan.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ryan Callahan	Brad Richards	Marian Gaborik
Brandon Dubinsky	Brian Boyle	Artem Anisimov

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Michael Del Zotto	Anton Stralman
Dan Girardi	Derek Stepan

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Brandon Prust	Brian Boyle
Ryan Callahan	Derek Stepan
Ruslan Fedotenko	Brandon Dubinsky

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Marc Staal	Michael Del Zotto