The Pens led early, but trailed 3-1 after 1, and 4-1 early in the 2nd. They looked dead, but somewhere the message didn't get through that the game was lost. Starting by killing nearly 100 seconds of 5 on 3 Ottawa power-play, and several other powerplays in the period, they survived into the 2nd intermission still down only 4-1.
Ottawa had a powerplay that began in the 8th minute of the 3rd, when Evgeni Malkin went to the box. Jordan Staal must not have been listening, either, as he scored his 27th goal of the season, and his 7th shorthanded, in the 10th minute. Staal's record-breaking goal, that being shorthanded goals by a rookie, brought the Penguins to within 4-2.
Just under two minutes later, Gary Roberts scored off of an Erik Christensen feed to make it 4-3. And a mere 68 seconds later, Ryan Malone tied it at 4-4 from Jordan Staal and Georges Laraque. Tied it would remain, through overtime to a shootout, the 2nd straight for each team. Thibault made a save on Dany Heatley, Erik Christensen scored for the Pens, Thibault made a save on Vermette, Evgeni Malkin was stopped by Emery, Dean McAmmond scored for Ottawa, leaving it up to Sidney Crosby to win it. And win it he did, scoring in his 3rd straight shootout, and sealing two points for the Pens. They were once 1-5 in shootouts this season, and now they are 8-5 in such games. Christensen is 7 of 11, and is near automatic of late.
With the win, the Pens move to within 1 point of Ottawa for the 4th seed still with a game in hand, 81 points to 82, and are 8 points up over 8th and 9th place with 16 games left. Their magic number is 23 points. They play New Jersey at home on Thursday, before hosting the Rangers for an afternoon game Saturday.
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