Random Recap Thursday #11: Toronto Maple Leafs v. Ottawa Senators 2/3/2007

Photo Credit: Getty Images

By Zane Miller

On Saturday, February 3rd, 2007, the Ottawa Senators played host to their in-province rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, at Scotiabank Place (now Canadian Tire Centre) as both teams looked to stay in contention for a playoff spot in the NHL’s Northeast Division.

Coming into the weekend, the Senators were in relatively good shape standings-wise with about two months to go in the regular season, sitting at a record of 29-24. However, the Maple Leafs were in a tight position at a 26-27 record, on the outside looking in with the Pittsburgh Penguins holding onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Clearly needing every win they could get, Toronto turned to starting goalie Andrew Raycroft to pick up a crucial two points in the standings.

After having an unexpected breakout season with the Boston Bruins in his rookie season of 2003-04, winning the Calder Trophy along with a fifth-place run in the voting for the Vezina Trophy, Raycroft was traded to the Maple Leafs prior to the 2006-07 season in what would later become known as one of the most infamous trades in recent NHL history. In the deal, the Maple Leafs gave up a goalie prospect of their own in Tuukka Rask, who went on to score 308 career wins with the Bruins and won the Vezina in 2013-14 while Raycroft was the primary starter for just one season in Toronto before he was off the team after 2007-08. However, this was still unbeknownst to anyone at the time, and Raycroft had a respectable start to 2006-07 with 23 wins, an .898 save percentage and a shutout. For the Senators, they too had their usual starter in Ray Emery, who was in his first season as the team’s primary netminder after splitting the net with Dominik Hasek the previous year in his lone season as a Senator.

Neither side was able to find the back of the net in the first period, though both goalies made rather impressive saves. Emery made a sprawling save from point blank range against Alexei Ponikarovsky, while Raycroft made a picturesque snare on a deflection attempt from longtime Senators forward Mike Fisher. The 0-0 deadlock would be broken six minutes into the second frame, however, with the scoring play being started by Maple Leafs defenseman Hal Gill forcing an Ottawa turnover. He quickly found Matt Stajan, who carried the puck in before making a perfect pass to fellow forward Jeff O’Neill. O’Neill tapped it past Emery for the 1-0 lead, but the Maple Leafs weren’t finished yet as franchise legend Mats Sundin scored around nine minutes later with help from Ponikarovsky and defenseman Pavel Kubina.

Needing to dig their way out of a hole in the third, the Senators got a golden opportunity after Toronto’s Wade Belak was hit with a holding penalty at the 3:45 mark. A minute into the ensuing power play, forward Jason Spezza connected on a long pass to future Hall of Famer Daniel Alfredsson, who tipped it past Raycroft to end the shutout bid and put Ottawa right back in the game. Neither side would get a power play for the remainder of the contest, but the Senators wouldn’t need one as a great pass from defenseman Joe Corvo allowed forward Mike Comrie to cut through the defense and score the tying goal near the midway point of the final frame. Raycroft and Emery kept the score even at 2-2 for the rest of regulation, and an uneventful overtime passed to set up a shootout.

Toronto forward Nik Antropov was unable to hit the back of the net on the opening shot, enabling Ottawa to take the early advantage with Antoine Vermette scoring on the following chance. The Senators were unable to capitalize, though, as their next shot was no good while Sundin scored again for the Maple Leafs. After a pair of unsuccessful chances from both teams, Maple Leafs forward John Pohl broke the stalemate with a forehand-backhand goal. That left Spezza as the final chance for the Senators, but his attempt was foiled by Raycroft as the Maple Leafs clinched the 3-2 shutout win.

The victory was a crucial pair of points for the Leafs' playoff hopes at the time, but even with this win they still came up just short of qualifying, missing by a mere one point as the New York Islanders instead grabbed the final spot. Even so, Raycroft posted a 37-win campaign with a pair of shutouts, though it also came along with an .894 save percentage. As for the Senators, they easily reached the postseason at 48-34, with Emery claiming 33 wins and a strong .918 save percentage, going along with five shutouts. The team went on to have their greatest postseason run in franchise history to date, defeating the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference Finals in five games, before falling to the Anaheim Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals by the same number of games.