Senators Snap Penguins’ Streak with Controversial Giroux Winner
PITTSBURGH - The Ottawa Senators seem to have the Penguins’ number - again. Claude Giroux scored a hotly debated late goal to lift Ottawa to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh, snapping the Penguins’ impressive run of six straight wins and a nine-game point streak. It was Pittsburgh’s first regulation loss since Jan. 11 in Boston.
This wasn’t just another loss. It was another chapter in what’s become a frustrating trend for the Penguins when facing Ottawa.
The Senators are now 8-0-1 in their last nine meetings with Pittsburgh. And if there’s one man who continues to haunt them, it’s Linus Ullmark.
The Senators’ netminder turned away 14 shots and improved to a perfect 8-0-0 against the Penguins - tying NHL legends Tony Esposito and Bob Froese for the most consecutive wins to start a career against Pittsburgh. Froese, for context, went an absurd 17-0-0 against the Pens in the '80s.
Pittsburgh got the start they wanted. Just under eight minutes into the first, Evgeni Malkin carried the puck down the right wing and threaded a slick pass into the slot for Egor Chinakhov.
Instead of rushing the shot, Chinakhov calmly settled the puck and snapped it five-hole on Ullmark for his 10th of the season - and fifth in his last nine games. It was the 33rd time in 54 games the Penguins opened the scoring - a strong trend that’s typically worked in their favor.
But the Senators didn’t take long to flip the script. Early in the second, Malkin found himself on the wrong end of a turnover in the defensive slot.
The puck slid off his stick and right onto Michael Amadio’s tape. The Ottawa forward didn’t hesitate, firing a wrister over Arturs Silovs’ glove to tie it 1-1.
From that point on, the second period was all Ottawa. The Senators outshot the Penguins 10-4 in the frame and had Pittsburgh chasing the puck for long stretches. Silovs was forced to come up big multiple times, including a sharp glove save on a Brady Tkachuk redirection midway through the period.
The third period brought more pressure from Ottawa - and more chaos for the Penguins. A defensive breakdown led to the Senators’ go-ahead goal.
Ryan Shea pinched up ice, and Parker Wotherspoon was late getting on during a line change. That opened the door for a partial breakaway by Drake Batherson.
Silovs made an excellent save on Batherson’s attempt, but Tim Stützle was in the right place at the right time, burying the rebound for his 26th of the season.
To their credit, the Penguins responded. Just over two minutes later, Tommy Novak crashed the net and cleaned up a rebound off a Shea point shot. Novak was actually behind Ullmark when he nudged the puck across the line - a gritty, heads-up effort that tied the game at 2-2 and gave Pittsburgh a much-needed spark.
Then came the controversy.
With under four minutes to play, Claude Giroux got behind the defense for a partial breakaway. Erik Karlsson tripped him as he charged toward the net, and both Giroux and the puck ended up in the crease - and then in the net - as he collided with Silovs and dislodged the goal.
The initial call on the ice was no goal. But after a video review, officials ruled the puck had crossed the line before the net came off its moorings.
Penguins interim head coach Dan Muse challenged the call, but the ruling stood.
“I felt like that was one I could challenge, so I challenged,” Muse said postgame. “And I got no explanation.”
Pittsburgh pulled Silovs in the final minute and generated a few solid chances, but couldn’t find the equalizer. The loss not only ended their longest stretch of consistent results this season, but also underscored the frustrations of facing a team that’s had their number for years.
Penguins Notes:
- Bryan Rust served the final game of his three-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
He’ll be eligible to return tomorrow night when the Penguins visit the Islanders.
- Kevin Hayes was the lone healthy scratch for Pittsburgh.
The Penguins will try to shake this one off quickly as they head to Long Island looking to start a new streak. But if there’s one takeaway from this game, it’s that the Senators - and especially Ullmark - continue to be a puzzle Pittsburgh just can’t solve.