Pittsburgh Penguins get third straight win over Ottawa Senators
After getting off to a slow start this season, including losing their first three games at their new rink, the Pittsburgh Penguins have now won two in a row at the Consol Energy Center after defeating
the Ottawa Senators 5-2 on Monday night, spoiling Sergei Gonchar's return to Pittsburgh.
How it happened
Pittsburgh started the scoring midway through the first period converting two power plays with Mark Letestu and Sidney Crosby each getting their fourth of the season. Evgeni Malkin got a third for Pittsburgh
with his second of the season to put the Penguins up 3-0 after one period.
The Senators got a lifeline when Daniel Alfredsson got his first of the season on the power play in the second frame.
Any chance of a comeback was squashed five minutes later when the Penguins scored two goals in 25 seconds with Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang each getting their first of the season.
Chris Campoli added a second goal for the Senators in the third period with his first of the year but by then the game was already out of reach.
What they're saying
Penguins goalie Brent Johnson got his third consecutive start in place for regular starter Marc-Andre Fleury, and the change has been paying off for the Penguins who have won three straight. Johnson was
solid again, stopping 32 of 34 shots, but Penguins coach Dan Bylsma claims that Fleury is still the team's number one.
"Marc-Andre Fleury is our franchise goalie and he's our number one guy," he said. "He's a guy we count on to be a great goaltender for us and make big saves, just like he has in the past. He'll get to
do that again. His teammates are confident what he's going to bring to our team."
Fleury's status as the team's number one goalie is clear to Johnson as well.
"It's Flower's [Fleury's] team, everyone knows that. It's important right now that if I am looked upon to get in there, I try to get the job done," he said.
The Senators now only have one win in six games, and it's beginning to frustrate players like Gonchar, who collected an assist against his former team,
"I don't think anybody is happy," he said. "We're all frustrated. But it's one of those things that you have to battle through. You have to stay positive."
What it all means
After a rocky start the Penguins have now shot up the standings and are tied with the New York Islanders for the Atlantic Division lead. They will try to keep the ball rolling when they travel to Nashville
to take on the Predators on Thursday 21 October.
The Senators are in desperate need of a win and they will be taking on two opponents, on back-to-back nights, who have already beaten them this season – the Buffalo Sabres on Friday 22 October, and the
Montreal Canadiens on Saturday 23 October.
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