NHL Playoffs 2017: Jean-Gabriel Pageau scores top-shelf on Marc-Andre Fleury (Video)

Jean-Gabriel Pageau buried a perfect feed from Bobby Ryan to give the Ottawa Senators an early 1-0 lead in Game 1. 

Going into the Eastern Conference Finals, the Ottawa Senators are the clear underdogs. They had an easier path to the conference finals than the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals. While Ottawa had to beat the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, Pittsburgh’s the favorite. However, the game is played on the ice, not in Vegas. Senators forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau went top shelf on Marc-Andre Fleury after a beautiful pass from Bobby Ryan to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Ottawa’s magical postseason run has been possible because of contributions from unlikely sources. Pageau is certainly one of them. After scoring just 12 goals during the regular season, he now has eight in the playoffs. In his career, Pageau has 11 goals in 28 postseason games. Ryan picked up his 10th point of the playoffs after having just 25 in 62 games during the regular season.

Fleury has been great so far in the playoffs. It’s hard to blame him for this goal. Brian Dumoulin turns the puck over and allows Ryan to get the pass off to Pageau. Fleury had no real shot at this one. The Penguins defense is lacking Kris Letang, who is out due to a neck injury. However, they can’t afford to give up turnovers like that.

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Pageau now leads the Senators in goals during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s been that kind of season for Ottawa, who have exceeded everyone’s expectations by making the Eastern Conference Finals. Now they’ll try to make their first Stanley Cup Final since the 2006-07 season, when they lost to the Anaheim Ducks.