Season over =[

newjerseydevils.com – As the Devils lined up at center ice to shake hands with the Ottawa Senators, a frustrating reminder hung just overhead.

The scoreboard read 3-2, and with a third one-goal loss in their Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Devils had been eliminated from the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Scott Gomez recorded both Devil goals, with one 6:59 into the game, and the other in game’s final minute. Martin Brodeur stopped 21 of 24 shots in the loss.

Since dropping game four 3-2 on Wednesday, the Devils had talked this week about putting more pucks on Ottawa goaltender Ray Emery, and capitalizing on rebound opportunities. The Gomez goal seemed a product of that very game plan, and New Jersey played an energetic opening period, outshooting Ottawa 11-3.

Following an Ottawa icing, Gomez beat Dean McAmmond on a draw at the right dot, and worked the puck back to Paul Martin at the point. Martin found Patrik Elias along the right boards for a slapshot, and Gomez was well positioned in front of the net to sweep the rebound around Emery for his third of the playoffs.

It seemed like the Devils' early mission had been accomplished: after neither team had registered a shot on goal for the first five minutes of regulation, the Devils had struck for a 1-0 edge on just their third shot.

But despite that early lead, New Jersey couldn’t hold off the Ottawa attack in the second period, and for the first time in this 11-game Devils’ postseason, the team scoring first would not finish the evening with a win.

The Sens stormed out of the gate in the game’s middle frame, scoring three goals in the period, beginning with Antoine Vermette’s deflection of a Tom Preissing wrist shot to tie the score 1-1 at 5:19.

Ottawa took its first lead of the game with Jay Pandolfo serving a minor penalty for goaltender interference. On the ensuing power play, Jason Spezza walked the puck in from the left wing, before wristing it through a Dany Heatley screen at 12:06 of the second.

It was the Sens’ only power-play goal of the match, as they finished 1-for-2 with the man advantage. The Devils went 0-for-2.

A little more than five minutes later, Daniel Alfredsson carried into the Devil zone on a one-on-one against Colin White, and snapped the puck through White’s legs and past Martin Brodeur for a 3-1 Ottawa lead.

Tied for the playoff point lead coming into the game, Gomez and Heatley each added two points to remain knotted at 14 points. But after 60 minutes, the Heatley-led line featuring Spezza and Alfredsson had compiled two goals and four assists, including Alfredsson’s eventual game winner. In the five games, they combined for nine goals and 14 assists.

Gomez put New Jersey back within a goal with 40 seconds left in regulation and Brodeur out of the net for the extra skater, but the buzzer would sound with the Devils just that close.

So frustratingly close.
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My Take: The third one goal loss of the round, hard to take. =/

I want to wish the Sens the best of luck in the playoffs, and congratulations.

As far as the Devils, thanks for 7 months of great hockey, it was exciting right down to the end.

Good bye CAA =[ Hello Prudential Center!

See ya guys in October!

Hopefully we resign Gomez =/

Devils Player of the Game: Scott Gomez(2).

Series Record: Senators win 4-1.