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Senators aim for more of same vs. Bruins (Apr 19, 2017)
BOSTON -- Ottawa coach Guy Boucher expects more of the same when his Senators look to take a 3-1 series lead against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
"Tougher game as we move along," Boucher said Tuesday. "My experience is the games get tougher and tougher, urgency grows on both parties, and it will just be great hockey. I think again, close, as it's been every game against them all year and in all playoffs."
Bobby Ryan's overtime power-play goal gave the Senators their second straight 4-3 OT win and the lead in the first-round Eastern Conference series Monday night. It was Ottawa's sixth win in seven games against the Bruins this season, the third in as many tries at TD Garden, where the Senators have won four straight going back to last season.
Here's the thing about the Sens' 6-1 record against Boston: the scores were 3-1, 4-2, 3-2, 2-1 (shootout), 2-1 (Bruins), 4-3 and 4-3. In other words, every game has been a battle, and Game 4 should be no different.
Monday's game ended amid the controversy regarding the penalty call that led to the winning goal -- Ryan's second goal in three games in the series and his third in the last four going back to the regular-season finale, after a 13-game goal drought.
"I always say that you make your money during the season, but you make your reputation in the playoffs, and right now he's showing everybody that he's a gamer," Boucher said.
Angry Bruins fans littered the ice with debris after Ryan's winner. Interim coach Bruce Cassidy called the call and subsequent results "demoralizing and disappointing."
Riley Nash, whose retaliation swipe at Ryan was caught by ref Tim Peel, took the blame on himself, saying, "I think it was pretty selfish of me, you know you can't make that play."
He did, and his team, which is severely short-handed on defense, now faces a virtual must-win.
The Bruins have trailed in all three games. Boston came back from a 1-0 deficit with two third-period goals to win Game 1, scored three times to take a 3-1 lead they couldn't hold in Game 2, then trailed 3-0 before a big second-period rally in Game 3.
Asked what his team needs to do in Game 4, Boston winger Brad Marchand, a 39-goal scorer in the regular season who scored the Game 1 winner before being blanked in the next two, said, "Definitely a better start. Definitely not good enough.
"They really took it to us early on, and it's tough when you get down. We were lucky to come back the way we did. But, we gave ourselves a chance, and again, we need to be much better next game."
Boucher knows his team yielded three goals in the second period in each of the past two games but said the Senators didn't play poorly as the Bruins rallied to tie Monday night.
The Bruins practiced Tuesday, but Boucher kept his regular players off the ice -- the extras skating at the Bruins' practice facility.
"Rest is a weapon," the coach said.
The Senators will not be shocked to see a desperate Bruins team Wednesday.
"As a series goes on, it gets more intense, more pressure-filled, just more fun," said Ottawa center Kyle Turris, who set up the OT winner Monday. "We're looking forward to it.
"It's going to be a battle. It's going to probably be the most intense game of the series so far. Those are the fun games you like to play in. We'll be ready."
In terms of injuries, Boucher said defenseman Mark Borowiecki, who missed Game 3 with a lower-body ailment, was still day-to-day and could be available Wednesday.
The Bruins could get back Colin Miller (knee) to provide more experience on their depleted backline.
