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Alfredsson leads Senators to Game Three victory

Apr 16, 2007 - 3:57 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- The Ottawa Senators have taken back home-ice advantage.

Mike Comrie scored the go-ahead goal and Daniel Alfredsson tallied twice as the Senators posted a 4-2 victory over the Penguins to take a two-games-to-one lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

After Saturday's 4-3 loss in Ottawa, the Senators returned the favor and regained home-ice in the best-of-seven series, which continues here Tuesday.

"We came in to their territory and, despite falling behind really quick, we stuck to the gameplan and played our type of game and I think we deserved to win," Ottawa goaltender Ray Emery said.

After Gary Roberts put the Penguins ahead, 1-0, just 52 seconds into the game, the Senators took command.

Dean McAmmond tied the game with 1:56 left in the first period, batting in a loose puck that resulted when Tom Preissing crashed the net following a Patrick Eaves wrister from the slot. Eaves left the contest in the second period with a concussion.

Comrie scored 2:13 into the second for a 2-1 edge. Joe Corvo's shot from the point was tipped in front by Mike Fisher, who was screening Fleury. The tip went to Comrie who was uncovered at the side of the net, resulting in an easy tally for the center.

Alfredsson then tallied twice before the period ended to provide a 4-1 cushion.

"We were outworked in the second period," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "We had a good start but then we made a lot of mistakes with the puck. We gave them opportunities they shouldn't get. We're going to have to play a lot better defensively, we're going to have to play a lot better with our transition game."

The captain's first goal came during the power play at 7:20 on a wrister from the left faceoff dot. His third goal of the playoffs was tallied at 17:12 on a one-timer from almost the same spot.

"It's nice when it goes in," Alfredsson said. "I've had a lot of chances this series and as long as our line keeps creating like we have, you know it's going to come."

After allowing the early goal, Emery kept the Penguins off the board until Sidney Crosby scored his third playoff goal with 5:10 remaining in the contest.

"I don't know if there is any explanation (for the Penguins play) but obviously we need to find one fast," Crosby said. "We just had some times where, mentally, we made some mistakes and we paid for them. We just can't make the mistakes we've been making.

"It's a game of mistakes, especially in the playoffs. Teams are focused on capitalizing when they get their chances. Right now we're getting caught chasing a little too much or making those little mistakes that end up in our net."

Emery was forced to stop just 19 shots, including five in the second period. Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 21 stops.

Eaves was taken off the ice on a stretcher after a hard hit from Colby Armstrong at 10:56 of the second period. The right wing was making his way out from behind the Pittsburgh net with the puck when Armstrong delivered a shoulder to the face of the Eaves, who never saw the hit coming.

The game was delayed almost 10 minutes as medical staff tended to Eaves, who suffered only a concussion on the bone-jarring hit. His status for the remainder of the series is unknown.

"It was a faceoff play in our zone and he came low and he beat our D around the net, and he was coming around the net and I was covering the slot and I just came down and met him at the post and made a hit on him," Armstrong said. "I know Pat Eaves, he's a great guy and he plays hard. I just finished my check on him but you don't want to see anyone hurt ... you don't like to see that."

"It was a kid trying to make contact," Senators coach Bryan Murray said. "(Eaves) had his down a little bit. He got drove with a shoulder and that's part of hockey. I feel real bad with (Eaves) getting hurt the way he did ... it was a fair hit, a hockey hit, and we live with it accordingly."