Despite out-shooting the Ottawa Senators 42-22, the Penguins had to withstand a late flurry from the Senators to hang on for a 4-3 win Friday at Consol Energy Center in game two of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.
The Penguins now lead the series 2-0. It is the first time since the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes that the Penguins have had a 2-0 advantage in a series.
Sidney Crosby picked up his second career playoff hat trick to lead the Pens, while Tomas Vokoun stopped 21 Ottawa shots to record his fourth win this postseason. Brendon Morrow had the other Pittsburgh goal.
Crosby opened the scoring just 3:16 into the first when, after making a move around defenseman Erik Karlsson, beat goaltended Craig Anderson between the legs to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Paul Martin and Matt Niskanen picked up the assists on the goal.
Ottawa would tie the game on the power play at 13:15 after Kyle Turris beat Vokoun from a tough angle to make it 1-1. Turris shot the puck from the goal line and appeared to go in off the left pad of Vokoun. Daniel Alfredsson and Sergei Gonchar got the assists.
Crosby took over the game after that, breaking the tie at 16:07 of the first period on an unassisted goal that he banked off of Anderson to make it 2-1. Crosby would complete his hat trick at 1:15 of the second period on the power play, when he blasted a slap shot from left circle over the shoulder of Anderson to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead. Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang got the assists.
It was Crosby’s first playoffs hat trick since game two of the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Washington Capitals. The goal also marked the end of the night for Anderson, who was pulled in favor of 21 year old Robin Lehner.
Just 40 seconds after Crosby goal, Ottawa pulled back within one, after Colin Greening stepped around defenseman Deryk Engelland and beat Vokoun to make it 3-2.
At 8:04 of the second, Morrow scored the eventual game winner, when he deflected a Paul Martin shot from the left point past Lehner to restore the Penguins two goal lead at 4-2. The goal was Morrow’s first of the playoffs. Martin and James Neal got the assists.
The Senators would pull back to within a goal just two minutes into the third period, after Jean-Gabriel Pageau picked up a loose puck that was already behind Vokoun and shoveled it into the goal to make it 4-3.
Ottawa pulled goaltender Lehner with 42 seconds remaining in regulation, but were unable to get anything past Vokoun. With the win, the Penguins have now won their last four games, and haven’t lost since Vokoun entered the lineup.
The Penguins will look to extend their lead in the series Sunday, as the scene shifts to Ottawa for game three. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.
