Ottawa Senators were closer than you'd think in 2007 Stanley Cup final

This moment was truly a turning point for either team, and therefore the series overall. Either the Senators hold on and make it a best-of-three, or the Ducks find it within themselves to claw back and put the hammer on any comeback attempt.

The Ducks proved themselves mentally stronger, and refused to let either the Senators or the officiating, which finally improved in Game 3, rattle their psyche or change their bruising battle plan. Rob Niedermayer led a hit parade and a rejuvenated defensive effort in the second period that was stronger than ever.

The Senators’ psyche would hold up, but not much longer. Outshot 13-4 in the second frame, the suddenly vulnerable team allowed two more goals from Andy McDonald, who ended up with five in the series.

McDonald didn’t even score until midway through the period, after Ottawa killed off two straight penalties. He outwaited Emery and defenceman Andrej Meszaros, swirling around both to roof it in an open cage.

Exactly one minute later, he caught Chris Neil not hustling back on the backcheck, and took a Rob Niedermayer pass right in on Emery and tucked one under the pads that Emery should have had. Fearless defender Anton Volchenkov slapped his stick in disgust on the play.

“Say it ain’t so,” blared Weezer through the loudspeakers.

The slide was evident on the other end when the Ducks’ defensive pressure only allowed Dany Heatley (three), and one other Senators player (Alfredsson, with a 48-foot wrister) to hit the net. Heatley would score to tie things up heading into the third off of a cross-ice Spezza feed, but it was the beginning of the end.

The frustration got the better of Alfredsson, as the Conn Smythe Trophy favourite and Ottawa’s beloved hockey hero shot the puck at fellow captain Scott Niedermayer in the dying moments of the second frame.

It was obvious, uncalled for, and unfair. Even fellow Swedish national teammate Samuel Pahlsson was sure to physically make his displeasure clear to Alfredsson, and undoubtedly the incident and the melee that ensued gave the all the Ducks a chip on their shoulders heading to the dressing rooms.

“We took it as an act of desperation to try and get his club going,” commented Ryan Getzlaf afterwards in a jubilant Ducks dressing room.

“It definitely hit a chord with our hockey club,” added Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, talking about his captain’s leadership following the incident. “The thing that surprised me the most about it all was that Scott Niedermayer took it upon himself to tell the team to just turn the page on it.”

A sad moment for the classy Alfredsson, it was the harbinger of the death march for his team; if the Ducks could get inside the leader’s head, they were on the right path.

Nail in the coffin: Dustin Penner, 4:07

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?