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Vermette, Gerber help Senators sweep series with Bruins

Nov 5, 2007 - 4:07 AM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Antoine Vermette has the Ottawa Senators off to the best start in franchise history.

Vermette forced overtime with a third-period goal and scored the game-winner in the shootout Sunday as the Senators posted a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins to complete a home-and-home sweep.

Martin Gerber made 21 saves and Chris Kelly had an assist for Ottawa (12-1-0), which is riding a seven-game winning streak and is off to the best start in the franchise's 15-year history.

Daniel Alfredsson opened the shootout by beating goaltender Tim Thomas with a forehand shot to the left side. Gerber then turned aside Chuck Kobasew's backhand attempt, and Vermette followed by deking right and beating Thomas between the pads.

Gerber sealed the win by stopping Phil Kessel's forehand attempt with his left blocker.

"He made a great save on Kessel in the shootout and he made two or three big saves on the power plays," Ottawa coach John Paddock said. "He was solid, very solid."

"It wasn't our best game but it's a road game, we'll take the two points," Vermette said. "We found a way to get back into the game and battle hard, and it's good to end the week like that."

The Senators also are the only team in the NHL without a road loss, having won their first five games away from Ottawa.

Ottawa tied the game on a shorthanded goal by Vermette at 4:01 of the third after it failed to convert its first six power-play opportunities.

"I wouldn't say it was routine but I think it occurred to the players they (needed) to find a way to win," Paddock said. "I wouldn't say it was unorthodox but to score a shorthanded goal after having so many power-play opportunities and not really either finishing or looking very good. To tie it shorthanded, it's just a good 'find a way to win' game."

Boston, which had lost six of the last seven meetings between the Northeast Division foes, struck first in regulation when Kobasew continued his red-hot play against Ottawa with his third goal in the last two games.

Kobasew, who was stationed between the faceoff circles, took a pass from Kessel along the left boards and wristed a shot that Gerber could only partially deflect before it wobbled past him and into the net at 4:13 of the first.

While the Senators couldn't produce on their power play, they managed the equalizer shorthanded when Vermette put back his own rebound after hitting the left post on a 2-on-1 rush with Chris Kelly at 4:01 of the third.

"That was a real back-breaker," Bruins coach Claude Julien said.

"It could have easily hit the post and gone into the corner or it could have hit the inside of the post and gone in, too, or gone onto a (defenseman's) stick and we could have cleared it," Thomas said.

Thomas, who entered the game with a 1.75 goals-against average, stopped 35 shots for Boston, which was 0-for-3 with a man advantage.