The Ottawa Senators rose up to the task as the Stanley Cup Final hockey returned to Canada’s capital for the first time in 80 years. They won 5-3 in Game 3 over the Anaheim Ducks cutting their lead to 2-1 and pleasing the crowd at the Scotiabank Place, who helped the Senators get back on their track.

”The crowd helped us out, no question,” Senators’ Daniel Alfredsson stated. “We got a lot of more shifts in there than we had previously. Like we've talked about, that's the way we're going to create some chances. It's nice to do that.”

With a little luck and a lot of anger Ottawa’s players managed to win Game 3.
Daniel Alfredsson finally got pass his scoring slump with the help of the replay booth and Wade Redden's shot from the left point hit the Senators captain in the left skate and slid past goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere to tie it 3-3 with 3:46 left in the second.

”We hung in and we hung in and we played well,” Ottawa’s coach Btyan Murray said. ”This group got beaten up a little early in the year. We've said that many times. They've gotten beaten up in some individual games. We've hung in, hung in, played well. Obviously, it's only one game. But I really like the way we responded.”

Anaheim’s defenseman Chris Pronger deflected the go-ahead goal into his own net during Ottawa's three-goal second period.
Anton Volchenkov made it 5-3 at 8:22 of the third.

Pronger could face a suspension, his second of the playoffs, after hitting Dean McAmmond in the head with his forearm.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere had his worst performance of the playoffs finishing with 24 saves and letting 5 go in. Ottawa's Ray Emery wasn’t as sharp as in the first two games and finished with 19 saves.

Anaheim played without the discipline that helped them get the 2-0 lead and allowed Senators 7 power-play chances, including 4 in the third period when the Ducks were attempting to catch up

Anaheim slipped back into its undisciplined mode and gave Ottawa seven power-play chances, including four in the third period when the Ducks were trying to catch up.

"You take four straight penalties and allow them to continue to press forward and get chance after chance," Pronger said. "We've got to come and re-evaluate and make sure we're disciplined in Game 4."

Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Ottawa.