from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
The team of destiny now controls its own. The Ottawa Senators need just a single point Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia to clinch a playoff berth, something that was unthinkable just seven weeks ago. But after a 20-3-3 run, one of the most impressive late-season stretches in years, the never-say-die Sens are on the verge of completing a miracle.
Ottawa blanked the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers 3-0 at MSG on Thursday night, albeit a New York team that rested a few key regulars, but still, a terrific road effort. The Boston Bruins did their part for the Senators, dropping a 4-2 decision at Florida, making it back-to-back losses on back-to-back nights for a B's team now in serious danger of missing the playoffs.
Ottawa now sits at 97 points in the top wild-card spot, the Pittsburgh Penguins are next at 96 points (with two games left), and the Bruins are on the outside looking in with 95 points and one game remaining, Saturday at Tampa Bay.
Is all this really happening? Is Sens rookie goalie Andrew Hammond, a complete unknown a few weeks ago, really now 19-1-2? You cannot make this stuff up. Oh, and with the Senators needing just one point Saturday, you know they can't cap this kind of run with a loser point. Expect a victory over the Flyers. It's the only way to go.
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