WHEW! Penguins Survive Sloppy 3rd to Beat Senators 6-4

The Pittsburgh Penguins (24-10-5) were loose in the first period but still won the period and survived a furious third period comeback by the pesky Ottawa Senators. Mike Matheson scored three points, including a pair of beauties as the Penguins filibustered the Ottawa Senators 6-4 at PPG Paints Arena Thursday. It was the Penguins first game at PPG since a Jan. 5 win over the St. Louis Blues.

And yes, we know, the Canadian houses are different, and there isn’t a filibuster fight in Ottawa, but just go with it.

The Penguins led 5-1 after two periods, but a pair of quick Ottawa goals in the opening minutes of the third brought Ottawa to 5-3. Ottawa winger Alex Formenton earned a penalty shot during a Penguins power play (unsuccessful), but Josh Norris scored midway through the period to chop the Penguins lead to 5-4. All-Star Jake Guentzel (21) ended the fun with an empty-net goal and a 6-4 Pittsburgh Penguins win.

Ottawa did their third period damage on limited shots. They had just 14 in the period. Overall, Tristan Jary stopped 39 of 43 shots in the Penguins win.

“It’s that first game back after a trip out west–for as long as we had–is never an easy one. There are times change challenges and so we knew this was going to be a difficult challenge,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “But every team in the league deals with the same challenge…”

Matheson collected his first point midway through the first period. Evgeni Malkin (3) charged the net off a faceoff play and quickly buried a rebound behind Forsberg. Kasperi Kapanen earned an assist as he deflected Matheson’s point shot after taking the faceoff. It was just the second faceoff this season for Kapanen. The goal gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead.

Matheson’s first goal since Dec. 19 was later in the first period after Malkin’s second goal was waved off due to a successful offsides challenge. The Pittsburgh Penguins again crashed the net. Matheson (4) earned his second point by shoveling a rebound into the net behind Ottawa goalie Anton Filip Gustavsson for a 3-1 lead.

Correction: Gustavsson replaced Forsberg minutes earlier when Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal that was overturned by review.

Filip Gustavsson, the other former Penguins goalie in the building, relieved Forsberg. Gustavsson was part of the package the Penguins sent to Ottawa for Derick Brassard in 2018. It was a bit of symmetry on the same night the Penguins played their tribute video to two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie, Matt Murray. The Penguins traded Murray to Ottawa in the summer of 2020. Murray wasn’t able to play because of non-COVID illness but received a standing ovation from the press box.

Matheson scored again in the second period, too. After a golden chance in which he zipped through the Ottawa defense at full speed for a brief breakaway chance, he converted the next one.

Later in the second period, Matheson followed Jeff Carter into the offensive zone. As Carter cleared space, Matheson (5) ripped a top-shelf shot past Gustavsson from the left-wing circle. 5-1

Penguins Roll…

Per usual script, the Penguins scored first. Early in the first period, Dominik Simon worked a two-on-two rush to the left-wing circle. Simon (2) snapped a pretty top-shelf wrister past Forsberg.

The Penguins allowed 22 shots in the opening 20 minutes but had only 12. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the high-danger scoring chances were 7-6 in the Senators’ favor. However, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry had to make a few saves on odd-man rushes and clean looks.

The Penguins tightened up in the second period. Sidney Crosby scored a power-play goal midway through the frame. On a full-speed rush, both Crosby and Guentzel got behind the Ottawa penalty killers. Crosby (7) deked backhand for a short breakaway goal.

Ottawa’s first tally was midway through the first period to tie the game, 1-1. Drake Batherson took advantage of a sloppy Penguins line change for an uncontested shot from the right-wing circle. Batherson (12) finished his own rebound.

Jason Zucker was placed on IR before the game with an undisclosed injury.

With an assist in the second period on Crosby’s goal, Kris Letang extended his scoring streak to a career-long nine games.

Ottawa Senators Comeback

Early in the third period, talented 20-year-old Tim Stutzle (6) slipped Jeff Carter near the Penguins net for an easy rebound putback. 5-2.

Less than two minutes later, Josh Norris (17) also had an unmissable chance near the Penguins net. 5-3.

Tristan Jarry stopped Ottawa winger Alex Formenton on a penalty shot midway through the third period. It would have been a shorthanded goal as the Penguins second power-play unit turned the puck over at the blue line and gave chase.

However, Ottawa arrived at the Pittsburgh Penguins doorstep a few minutes later. Norris (10) was again uncovered near the Penguins net and easily chipped a pass behind a diving Jarry to make it 5-4 with 12 minutes to play.

Brady Tkachuk fed Penguins defenseman John Marino a few right hands as the two squared off in the second fight of the game, with under 10 seconds remaining. Brian Boyle and Austin Watson also dropped the mitts.