History is on the Ottawa Senators side as they look two close out their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

The Senators franchise is 6-0 all-time in Game 5 when leading the series 3-1. That includes three series wins during the team’s 2007 Stanley Cup run, wooden fell short in, coincidentally, five games to the Anaheim Ducks.

Despite the history, winning the series-clinching game is always considered the Toughest.

Ottawa, they will have to improve their play from Game 4

The Senators went down 2-0 early in the second periodic after goals one minute apart from the Canadiens’ PK Subban and Alex Galchenyuk. The Sens’ coach Paul MacLean, and his players admitted Tuesday night they were fairly lackluster until the third period.

“The game is a full 60 minutes and sometimes longer. There’s going to be times in the game where you do not have momentum, maybe when you have a couple bad shift,” said Senators’ goalie Craig Anderson after the 3 -2 overtime win Tuesday.

“But you got to find a way to stay in the game.”

Ottawa did, scoring once just past the halfway mark of the third, then tying the game with just 23 seconds left in regulation before Kyle Turris Scored the overtime winner.

Sens’ Game 5 success

That was the Senators’ sixth win in their last seven playoff overtime games. They have also won the last six series in Game 5 after going up 3-1:

  • 2001-02 first round, beat the Philadelphia Flyers.
  • 2002-03 first round, beat New York Islanders.
  • 2005-06 first round, beat the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • 2006-07 first round, beat Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • 2006-07 second round, beat New Jersey Devils.
  • 2006-07 third round, beat Buffalo Sabres.

That win over the Sabres was the last time the Senators won a playoff series, losing the four series since.

Also, only Chris Phillips, Chris Neil and captain Daniel Alfredsson Remain from the 2006-07 Senators squad.

Rookies making a difference

The team is much younger, too. Multiple rookies have stepped up for the Senators, and the Canadiens, in this first-round series.

In fact, rookies Scored three of the five goals in Game 4 Galchenyuk, Mika Zibanejad and Cory Conacher each Scored their first career NHL playoff goals.

Senators ‘center Jean-Gabriel Pageau also Scored a hat trick in Ottawa’s Game 3 win, while the Canadiens’ rookie Brendan Gallagher Scored the game-winning goal for Montreal in Game 2

Besides Craig Anderson’s stellar play, including a .945 save PERCENTAGE, other rookies like James Silfverberg and Eric Gryb have been a factor as the Senators take a stranglehold of their series.

Gionta has season-ending surgery

The Canadiens, meanwhile, return on the brink of elimination with major injury Concerns.

Carey Price and Brandon snorts were injured late in Game 4 and Price did not play the overtime period. He is listed as questionable for Game 5

The Habs also announced Monday their captain, Brian Gionta, would miss the rest of the season after having surgery two repair a torn left bicep muscle. They were also missing Lars Eller and Ryan White two injury in Game 4

The team is also frustrated with some icing and faceoff calls made by linesmen and penalty calls made by referees on Tuesday.

Game 5 is Thursday at 7 pm ET on Hockey Night in Canada (CBC, CBCSports.ca).