Yesterday’s twin set of games were very similar, both were game fives and both went to overtime. In addition, the road team won and allowed them to have a 3-2 series lead heading home for game six.
Buffalo vs. Philadelphia-In a game that was a tale of two halves, it ended up being the Sabres who let a 3-0 first period slip away but managed to win 4-3 in overtime with a goal from Tyler Ennis. Earlier in the game, it was Ennis who scored the games first goal at 2:24. His goal was assisted by Rob Neidermayer and Jordan Leopold. The second goal the Sabres scored just under two minutes later when Thomas Vanek scored from behind the net. The breaking point coach Peter Laviolette had with goalie Brian Boucher was later in the period when Marc-Andre Gragnani scored on the powerplay. The goal was scored when he, Tyler Meyers, and Jason Pominville cycled the puck and passed it to each other for nearly 30 seconds before Gragnani scored. Boucher was pulled in favor of Michael Leighton, where Lighton made 20 saves on 21 shots in comparison to Boucher who allowed three goals on 11 shots.
The game was turned when Pominville was cut on his leg by accident. He could not put any weight on his leg and immediately left the ice and did not return for the game. Philadelphia mounted a comeback between the second and third periods before tying the game early in the third period when Danny Briere was left open and put the puck past Ryan Miller. The game winning goal was scored on a wrist shot from Ennis 5:31 into overtime.
Nashville vs. Anaheim-In a game where a team never had a multi-goal lead, the Predators scored the final two goals of the contest to defeat the Ducks 4-3. The first star of the game was Jerref Smithson of Nashville, who scored a goal and recorded an assist. His first goal of the playoffs could possibly be called the greatest goal in franchise history, when he banged in a goal from Jordan Tootoo 1:57 into the extra period.
Nashville forced overtime with 36 seconds remaining in the game when Shea Weber shot the puck through a crowd of players and into the net. Nashville pulled their goalie and Mike Fisher won the face-off. The puck then went to Nick Spaling who then set up Weber with the game-tying shot.
Anaheim got two goals from Jason Blake, and the third goal of the series from Bobby Ryan. Blake’s two goals were his first of the playoffs and his second gave Anaheim the lead with 5:44 remaining in the game. Ray Emery made 33 saves on 37 shots, while Vezina Award candidate Pekka Renne made 23 saves on 26 shots.
