Nobody is giving the Ottawa Senators a chance in this series. In fact, not one member of theScore's NHL team was brave enough to choose the Sens to advance. Can you really blame us? The Pittsburgh Penguins are the defending champs and just defeated the Presidents' Trophy winners.
But then again, these unpredictable NHL playoffs have been full of Cinderella stories. The Sens are indeed capable of pulling off an upset, though three things in particular will need to come to fruition for it to be possible.
Erik Karlsson needs to be the series' best player
What Erik Karlsson has done this postseason is simply incredible. He has carried his team to the conference finals, tallying 13 points - almost all of them of the highlight-reel variety and in clutch situations - in 12 games, while logging nearly 30 minutes a night, all while dealing with two hairline fractures in his left heel.
The Penguins have three game-breakers: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. Ottawa, on the other hand, has just one in Karlsson - and he's basically playing on one leg.
In order for Ottawa's magical run to proceed, Karlsson needs to keep playing at an otherworldly level. He has to be the best player in the series. He needs to make that one mind-blowing pass, or score that one crazy goal that is the difference in a win or a loss. It's a tough task considering the competition, but I don't think anyone can question whether he's up to the challenge.
Craig Anderson needs to outplay Marc-Andre Fleury
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Craig Anderson has been good thus far in the playoffs, posting a .914 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average. He needs to be great if the Sens are going to pull of an upset.
Not only does he need to be at his best, but he needs to outplay Marc-Andre Fleury, who is playing the best hockey of his career since Pittsburgh's run to the finals in 2008.
Ottawa doesn't have the offensive firepower to win this series if it turns into river hockey. They need to win ugly. They need to play structured and they need to keep the score down. Obviously this is easier said than done, but it's going to require Anderson to be at his very best, or at the very least, better than Fleury.
Ottawa needs to play aggressively, yet disciplined
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The Senators have to play chippy. They need to finish every check. They need to get in Crosby's and Malkin's faces and under their skin. Luckily, they have the cast capable of playing this role.
Everyone knows the type of super pest that Alex Burrows is. But Zack Smith and Tommy Wingels are also able and willing to drive opponents crazy. Don't forget about the nastiness that Marc Methot and Dion Phaneuf play with on the back end, either.
The Sens need to play this aggravating style and make the Penguins uncomfortable on the ice, all while remaining disciplined, something they haven't done a great job of so far in the postseason.
Only the Ducks and Oilers have been shorthanded more times than the Sens. If Ottawa gives Pittsburgh's lethal power play enough chances in this series, it will lose. Staying out of the box is incredibly crucial to the team's success.
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