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MONTREAL -- One thing the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens agreed on at the end of their sometimes bitter playoff series was that it all came down to goaltending. Craig Andersons rock-solid play and some shaky moments for Montreal backup Peter Budaj put the Senators through to the second round of NHL playoffs with a 6-1 romp over the Canadiens on Thursday night. Ottawa won the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final 4-1 and will move on to the second round for the first time since 2007, when they reached the Stanley Cup final only to fall to the Anaheim Ducks. "Finding a way to win two games in this building feels great and so was being able to finish it off on our first chance," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said. "Andy made some great saves and we took over more and more as the game went on." Anderson, who posted heady numbers in the regular season, was just as sharp in the playoffs, holding the usually high-scoring Canadiens to nine goals in five games while his own supposedly low-scoring team piled on 20 against Montreal. "For our team, Craig Anderson obviously was the MVP of this playoff series," said Ottawa coach Paul MacLean. "He was outstanding in every game. "He gives us a chance to bend but not break, to recover, get our bearings. And once we do that, were able to establish our game." He got no argument from his Montreal counterpart Michel Therrien. "He was the player of the series," he said. Anderson made the difference right off the bat in this one. Injury-wracked Montreal stormed out of the gates, but Anderson shot out his glove for a brilliant save on Rene Bourque in the opening moments. At the other end, a clearly nervous Budaj, making his first career playoff start, coughed up a huge rebound on Ottawas first chance and Zack Smith put it in only 2:17 into the game. "I think everyone took a good deep breath after that and said We can start playing now," Anderrson said of the save. "They came out hard. "My job is to give the team a chance to win no matter if its the first minute or the last." Therrien avoided direct reference to Budajs play, other than: "We came to play and we worked hard, but every time. . . (the Senators) capitalized on their chances, lets put it that way." The first ever playoff meeting in the modern era between the teams only two hours apart on highway 417 featured some nasty moments and name-calling. But at the end only kind words were voiced, although with the two coaches exchanging only the briefest of handshakes on the ice. The series opener saw Montreal centre Lars Eller stretchered off the Bell Centre ice covered in blood from a hit by Eric Gryba. MacLeans defence of his blue-liner prompted Canadiens tough guy Brandon Prust to call him a "bug-eyed, fat walrus." Game 3 disintegrated into a full-scale brawl and more verbal exchanges. None of it seemed to matter when it was over, even if the Ottawa players were reportedly singing the Montreal fans "Ole Ole" song as they left the ice. "I thought the whole series was fun," said MacLean. "I didnt think it was bitter at any time. At the end of the series its just good job, good job. I congratulate Michel on his team." However, he could not hide his glee with what his team accomplished. "We just beat the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs,"he said. "I mean, to me thats huge. Im going to call my mom and say we finally beat her team." The victory gives Ottawa time to rest up and heal bruises before the conference semifinals begin next week. Cory Conacher had two goals while Alfredsson, Kyle Turris, and Erik Condra also scored for Ottawa, who were underdogs as the seventh seed in the East but were bolstered down the stretch by the return of top players like defencemen Erik Karlsson and Jared Cowan. P.K. Subban scored for Montreal, which had five players injured in the series, including starting goalie Carey Price. Budaj made 23 saves in his place. After Smiths goal, another puck slipped behind Budaj and off a post, where Conacher tapped it in at 12:26. Montreal got one back on their first power play with 15 seconds to go in the period, as Subban wired a low point shot to the far corner. The Bell Centre crowd booed as Turris gave Ottawa a 3-1 lead shorthanded at 11:29 of the second frame. The Senators centre was pushed into Budaj by Tomas Plekanec and was on his hands and knees in the crease when a Condra shot went in off his arm. But it rightly stood up to video review. It was quiet at the 21,273-seat rink as the Senators scored on three straight power-play chances in the third period. Alfredsson wristed a shot in at 6:22, Conacher beat Budaj from the left side at 12:27 and Condra poked in a loose puck in the crease at 16:12. Yet the fans who stuck around to the end still gave the home side a warm ovation for an entertaining season. Montreal finished last in the conference last season and rose to second in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign. They looked to have recovered from a late-season funk going into the playoffs. They outshot Ottawa and outplayed for long stretches of most of the games, but couldnt find enough goals to win. "Yeah we played hard and sometimes we played better than them, but the final score is we lost the series," said Montreal defenceman Andrei Markov. "We can only blame ourselves." Winger Max Pacioretty reportedly played through a separated shoulder, but wasnt accepting that as an excuse for the loss. "Andersons a great goalie and he played five great games, but we made it easy on him,"said Pacioretty. "We didnt get enough bodies to the net. Thats where a player like me has to do a better job." Notes: Michael Blunden made his playoff debut for Montreal. Robert Mayer backed up Budaj ... Ottawa had no line-up changes from Game 4. Joe Corona Jersey . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. Jesse Gonzalez USA Jersey . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/omar-gonzalez-usa-jersey/ . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Walker Zimmerman Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Eric Lichaj Jersey . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. PRO FOOTBALLNEW YORK -- NFL stars James Harrison, Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers can start the regular season without having the specter of a league investigation over whether they used performance-enhancing drugs hanging over their heads.The NFL cleared all three players, saying there was no credible evidence the players were guilty of any of the claims made in a documentary by Al-Jazeera America in January.An NFL statement said the investigation involved witness interviews, a review of relevant records and other materials, electronic research, and laboratory analysis and review.The league threatened Harrison, Matthews, Peppers and free agent Mike Neal with indefinite suspensions if they did not meet with investigators.All of them were mentioned in an Al-Jazeera television interview with Charlie Sly, who worked as an intern at an anti-aging clinic.PHILADELPHIA -- A last-minute appeal in the NFL concussion case, filed by the son of an all-star and civil rights activist, has sent the proposed settlement to the U.S. Supreme Court and delays payouts for at least several months.The family of the late Buffalo Bills fullback Carlton Cookie Gilchrist asked the high court Tuesday to review whether the judge should have approved the potential $1 billion settlement without a full challenge to the scientific evidence presented jointly by both sides.The appeal, for instance, questions why more money is awarded for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, than for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, which some researchers link more closely with football concussions. At least two sets of other plaintiffs were granted extensions of the Tuesday deadline and can appeal through next month.Players lawyers who support the 2013 settlement negotiated with the league on behalf of 21,000 retirees insist their clients need financial and medical help now. Lawyer Jim Acho of Detroit, who sent a letter to clients Tuesday that said no further appeals had been filed and the payouts were imminent, called the Gilchrist appeal unbelievable.ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Tom Brady has found at least one thing to do during his suspension.The New England Patriots quarterback will return to his alma mater to be Michigans honorary captain Sept. 17 when it hosts Colorado.Brady will sit out the first four games of the NFL season, serving a suspension because of his role in what has become known as Deflategate. The Patriots drafted Brady out of Michigan in the sixth round in 2000 after he shared time as senior with Drew Henson.Michael Jordan will serve as honorary captain for the seventh-ranked Wolverines on Saturday when they open the season against Hawaii. Michigan is the first and only college or pro football team to wear Jordan Brand apparel, cleats and shoes.COLLEGE FOOTBALLEast Carolina, UNLV and New Mexico are out of the Big 12s expansion derby.Officials at each school said that they were notified by the Big 12 that they are no longer being considered for membership.East Carolina spokesman Tom McClellan says Commissioner Bob Bowlsby notified Chancellor Cecil Staton of the decision Tuesday by phone.Athletic director Jeff Compher says its obviously not the decision we were hoping for, but expressed satisfaction that we were able to tell our story to not only the Big 12, but thhe entire nation.ddddddddddddUNLV President Len Jessup and athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy issued a statement later in the day to acknowledge the Rebels were no longer being considered. UNLV has been a member of the Mountain West since 1990.New Mexico President Robert told the Albuquerque Journal that the school received very positive feedback from the Big 12, but was informed it would no longer be part the conferences expansion search. The Lobos are also a member of the Mountain WestCHICAGO -- The latest round of class-action concussion lawsuits against the NCAA and major college football conferences were filed by former college football players from Florida State, Miami, Florida, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Louisville and Murray State.The lawsuits were filed in federal courts by Chicago-based attorney Jay Edelson. The seven lawsuits increase the total number to 22 filed since May.The players are seeking damages for injuries they claim are the result of mishandled concussions they suffered while playing college football.In most cases the lawsuits name the NCAA and the conferences in which the schools competed. State laws protect most schools from being sued. The University of Miami, a private school, is named in the lawsuit filed by former defensive back Ryan Hill, who played for the Hurricanes from 2006-2010.BROADCASTINGHOUSTON -- TNT basketball broadcaster Craig Sager received a rare third bone marrow transplant as he continues his fight against cancer.OK, third times the charm, Sager said moments after the process began.The 65-year-old Sager has battled acute myeloid leukemia since 2014, and announced in March that he was no longer in remission.His son, Craig Sager II, was the donor for his first two transplants, which put the elder Sager into remission for close to a year each time. This time, the anonymous 20-year-old donor was considered a perfect match.BRISTOL, Conn. -- ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen says his throat cancer has been virtually reduced to zero detection.Mortensen was diagnosed in January and underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He has been on a leave of absence from the network. He says he anticipates returning for NFL coverage on a limited basis this season.I do have scheduled exams and scans during the next three months to monitor my status, he says, but my oncologists have directed me to recover and rehab from the treatments that have resulted in lengthy hospitalization, significant weight loss, strength, endurance and related health issues. I am following instructions to overcome these challenges.PRO HOCKEYFollowing the lead of the World Anti-Doping Agency, the NHL has added meldonium to its list of banned substances.Deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the addition in an email to The Associated Press. It was first reported by the Russian news agency Tass.The change goes into effect for the upcoming season. The NHL and NHL Players Association had to agree to add meldonium to its list of prohibited substances, as with any changes to the performance-enhancing drug program.Daly says that decision was made for the same reason WADA banned meldonium on Jan. 1. ' ' '