OTTAWA (AP) -Chris Pronger didn’t want to talk about his check that knocked out Ottawa’s Dean McAmmond. And the Anaheim Ducks’ stalwart defenseman wasn’t in the mood to discuss the pass that glanced off his skate and into his own net.
All in all, the Ducks’ 5-3 loss Saturday in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals was not Pronger’s finest moment.
“They took a page out of our book from the last couple of games and continued to bang away,” said Pronger, the 2000 Norris Trophy winner and perennial All-Star. “We’ve got to come and re-evaluate and make sure we’re disciplined in Game 4.”
The loss snapped the Ducks five-game playoff win streak and gave the Senators life, cutting Anaheim’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series that resumes at Ottawa on Monday.
What’s doubly worrisome is Pronger’s hit – he elbowed McAmmond across the side of the head two minutes into the third period – might have not only charged up the Senators in a game that became extremely chippy, but could also lead to a potential suspension from the NHL.
“I don’t know,” Pronger said, when asked if he might face disciplinary action, even though he wasn’t penalized for the hit. “I was just stepping up and finishing my check and I don’t really know what happened after that.”
It happened in front of the Ducks net and just after McAmmond got off a shot from slot. As McAmmond skated past Pronger, the defenseman got his elbow up and smacked the Senators player across the face.
McAmmond was sent flying to the ice and slid head first into the corner, where he lay unconscious for several minutes. McAmmond was helped off the ice and did not return.
Senators coach Bryan Murray said McAmmond “came around” after the game, but his status is uncertain for Game 4.
The Ducks suddenly find themselves in a position to have to rebound after a sloppy and undisciplined performance.
Besides squandering three one-goal leads, the Ducks committed 17 turnovers, took 12 penalties to Ottawa’s eight, and allowed the Senators 29 shots – seven fewer than they managed in the first two games of the series.
“They outworked us, simple as that,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “We have to take responsibility for our actions. And we played nowhere near to our capabilities.”
Didn’t help that a couple of bounces also went against Anaheim.
Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson tied the game at 3 with 3:46 left in the second period when a bouncing puck caromed in off his skate at the right post. Referee Dan O’Halloran immediately waved off the goal, but his ruling was overturned following a video review.
Two minutes later, Pronger could only stand helplessly in front of the net and watch McAmmond’s centering pass glance in off his skate and in for the go-ahead goal.
“Yeah, I can’t worry about that. Those are positional things,” Pronger said. “I’m in the right spot and it just bounced off me. It’s not the first time it’s happened. It certainly won’t be the last. But it certainly wasn’t a good situation.”
The Ducks blamed themselves in failing to build off two one-goal wins at Anaheim, while also squandering an opportunity to inch within a win of claiming their first Stanley Cup.
“Yeah, we’re responsible,” captain Scott Niedermayer said. “I think there’s things we can correct, we could be better at. That has to be our focus now going into Game 4.”
The Ducks lost top-line forward Chris Kunitz, who hurt his left leg in his first game back since missing three weeks with a broken bone in his right hand. Kunitz was hurt after an open-ice check on McAmmond early in the second period and did not return.
Carlyle declined to provide an update on Kunitz’s status.
Add A Comment