Senators at Penguins
Coach Guy Boucher steadfastly has embraced the underdog role in the postseason to the point that he virtually squeezed the life out of the subject. While Boucher's assessment - honest or otherwise - was up for debate during the first two rounds, it likely rings true as his Ottawa Senators open their Eastern Conference finals series against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.
Two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson guided the Senators to six-game series victories over Boston and the New York Rangers despite playing with two hairline fractures in his left heel. The captain raised his team-high point total to 13 (two goals, 11 assists) by recording game-winning goals in the series opener and clincher against New York, and erupted for seven points (one goal, six assists) as Ottawa captured two of the three regular-season meetings with Pittsburgh. While the Senators are making their first trip to the conference finals since 2007 and third in franchise history, the Penguins are bidding to become THE first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98 to repeat as champions. Pittsburgh brushed off Columbus in five games before outlasting Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington in seven, with Evgeni Malkin (NHL-leading 18 points) and rookie Jake Guentzel (league-best nine goals) paving the way.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVAS
ABOUT THE SENATORS: Jean-Gabriel Pageau recorded six of his team-leading seven goals versus the Rangers on the heels of being limited to 12 tallies on the season and one in the first-round series against the Bruins. Craig Anderson publicly was shredded for his questionable puck-handling decisions in the playoffs and was taken to task in his lone regular-season meeting with the Penguins, permitting seven goals on 43 shots in an 8-5 loss on Dec. 5. Mike Hoffman scored in all three encounters with Pittsburgh this season and tallied in each of the last two contests against New York.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Coach Mike Sullivan let the cat out of the bag Friday by stating that Marc-Andre Fleury "deserves the opportunity to play" even though regular-season starter Matt Murray has returned to health. Fleury saved his best for when it mattered most, recording a 29-save shutout in a 2-0 triumph over Washington in Game 7 of the second-round series to improve his goals-against average (2.55) and save percentage (.927). "If we traded (Fleury), we wouldn't be in this room right now," Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford said of the veteran, who was the subject of trade rumors throughout the season. "You'd be in another city. If not for our goalie, we wouldn't have won that series (against Washington)."
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh has enjoyed comfortable wins by two or more goals on five occasions in the playoffs, while Ottawa has emerged victorious by one tally in all but one of its postseason triumphs.
2. Boucher told reporters Friday that he is "hopeful" LW/RW Viktor Stalberg can play in the opener after the veteran sustained an undisclosed injury in the series-clinching victory versus the Rangers.
3. The Penguins have won three of four postseason meetings with the Senators, including a five-game triumph in the second round of the 2013 playoffs.