"One of the messages [before the third period] was '20 more minutes.' How hard is that to work as hard as you can for one of the best feelings you're ever going to have coming back from three games to one?" Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We changed a couple of things up because we couldn't get the puck out of our zone. They were doing to us what I think we had done to them for six previous games."
"It wasn't changes. For most of the game, I thought we did a really good job of keeping the puck. It probably was the most we kept the puck all series," Rangers Head Coach John Tortorella said. "We couldn't develop enough scoring chances even with the puck and, during the [third] period, I think they turned it up a notch. We ended up backing up a little bit. They had the puck more than we did. It was still a game to be had. Who makes the next big play? They did, we didn't. They win the game."
With all of the drama, the Caps' players still had trouble wrapping their collective brains around a victory in a situation that was bordering on way too familiar.
"Shades of last year tonight, though, it was in the back of our minds," Brooks Laich said. "Last year's game was tight, it came down to overtime and I remember the bench last year when [Joffrey] Lupul scored, your body goes numb and it feels like somebody ripped your heart out. But it was a totally different feeling [tonight]."
"It's hard to describe. I'm sure you guys felt the feeling in the building," he added. "To be a player and to be part of this, to have this as our dream to keep going in the playoffs and try to win a Stanley Cup is awesome. I've never been to the second round of the NHL playoffs."
Sergei Fedorov recorded the game-winning goal in the third period, the 12th GWG of his playoff career. He now has 172 career playoff points and is tied with Mario Lemieux for 15th in all-time playoff scoring. In his career, Fedorov has six points (3g-3a) in eight Game 7s.
"That's a pretty good player coming down on him," Tortorella said, describing the goal. "It's not like you can step up on him because he can beat you one on one. So I thought [Wade Redden] did a pretty good job."
Now it's time to focus on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Caps are off today and resume practice tomorrow morning.
"It's going to be tough, there's no doubt," Boudreau said. "They're the defending Eastern Conference champions, they played in the Stanley Cup [finals], they know what it's all about. And we're happy to be participating in it. I think it'll be great for hockey and great for TV too."
Here's a look at the series schedule:
| Game | Site | Date/Time | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
You also can check out the schedule of the other semifinal series.
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