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7:00 P.M.: Senators Need Big Guns To Step Up In Pivotal Game 4
Ottawa (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try for a third straight win in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinals, when the defending Stanley Cup champions visit the Ottawa Senators for Game 4 tonight at Scotiabank Place.
The fourth-seeded Penguins were dealt a 5-4 loss on home ice in Game 1, but have since posted two straight wins, including a 4-2 decision in Ottawa on Sunday. The two-time defending Eastern Conference champions hope to make it three in a row tonight to give them a chance to end the series Thursday evening in Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, Ottawa will try to solve its scoring woes to get its playoff run back on track. After scoring five times in the opener, the Senators have combined to score just three goals in Games 2 and 3.
Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby continued his strong start to the playoffs on Sunday, posting a goal and an assist to lead the Penguins. Crosby, who tied for the NHL lead with 51 goals this year, now has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in the series to leads all NHL players in playoff scoring.
Bill Guerin also had a goal and an assist, while Alexei Ponikarovsky and Evgeni Malkin each tallied once in the victory. Malkin, winner of last spring's Conn Smythe Trophy, has three goals and one assist in the series.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 20 saves for his 33rd career playoff victory. Fleury has stopped 39-of-42 shots since allowing five goals on 26 shots in the series opener.
“It’s a big win to get two in a row,” Fleury said. “It’s not over, it’s a seven-game series. We have to get two more.”
Mike Fisher and Matt Cullen scored for the Senators, while Brian Elliott was beaten four times on 24 shots in defeat.
"They had the bounces tonight, and they made the saves," Senators forward Peter Regin said. "They scored at key times. I don't think we have to change a whole lot; we just have to stay with it and go back."
The fifth-seeded Senators had an excellent 26-11-4 record as the host during the regular season, while Pittsburgh was 22-16-3 on the road.
Pittsburgh defenseman Jordan Leopold missed Game 3 with a head injury and is doubtful for tonight. Leopold was elbowed in the head by Ottawa's Andy Sutton in Game 2.
The Senators continued to play without key contributors in forwards Alex Kovalev and Milan Michalek and defensemen Filip Kuba. Kovalev and Michalek are out for the season, while Kuba is not likely due back in the playoffs either after undergoing back surgery in March.
Pittsburgh, which beat Detroit in seven games last spring to win the Cup, is trying to become the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles since the Red Wings pulled off the repeat in 1997 and '98.
The Senators and Penguins split four games during an up-and-down season series. Pittsburgh outscored the Senators, 12-3, in its two victories while Ottawa had a combined 10-3 edge in goals in its wins.
These clubs never met in the playoffs prior to 2007, but this marks the third time in four seasons that the Pens and Sens are facing off in the postseason. Ottawa ousted the Penguins in five games during the opening round of the playoffs in 2007, but Pittsburgh exacted revenge with a sweep in the conference quarterfinals the following spring.
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