National Hockey League roundup: Senators get jump on Penguins

Bobby Ryan scored a attractive overtime victor again as the Sens ended up on the right side of the ledger, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 to take an early 1-0 series lead.

Let’s get this out of the way right now. Anderson also was strong, stopping 28 of 29 Pittsburgh shots. TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS LINE HISTORY: The Home team Penguins opened as huge -200 favorites after dropping the opener and that moneyline has yet to budge. Both the Blue Jackets and the Capitals rely on a fast, offensive-focused game, where the Penguins were able to rely on desperate defense and the occasional offensive breakout. They would stand behind their net waiting for a forecheck that simply wasn’t coming.

“Obviously you don’t want to feel it out anymore”, Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta said. “So it’s really about an investment, emotionally and otherwise, into this new challenge, and I think our guys are excited to play”. “I thought we did a pretty solid job in containting that”.

Penguins skaters managed to block just 14 of Ottawa’s 60 shot attempts, a signal that the Senators found lanes to get pucks through to the net or somewhere near it more frequently than Washington or Columbus.

This is the fifth playoff series between the clubs with Pittsburgh winning three of the previous four, including the last three. They have beaten the teams with the best- and third-best records in the league with this ragged defence corps that is dressing one of its top five defencemen from last year’s playoffs, and that one is a one-legged Brian Dumoulin.

The loss leaves the series tied 1-1 heading to Ottawa for the next two games.

On Saturday’s victor, Ryan, who earlier had an assist, came out of a tangle along the right-wing boards after getting the puck from Pittsburgh defenseman Olli Maatta for a short breakaway and roofed a shot past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

“Part of it, I think, is just a heightened awareness and a mindset to put the puck on the net”, Sullivan said. There were some shots from in close, there were hit posts, but there were no goals.

That and the Penguins’ vaunted speed are their best weapons against the Senators.

Something the Penguins will need to do in front of a raucous crowd as the Senators try to continue their deepest playoff push in a decade.

“We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves”, cautioned Ottawa defenceman Marc Methot. They won the Cup, they know how to win and they’re a confident group. “Kessel said. “(The first shot) got blocked and I just tried to get it off quick, and it went in”. “They’re committed to defending there”. I don’t know even how to get on it.

The Senators’ militant defensive approach was working. What do you think was the most important factor in their ability to slow down the Pens’ offense?

The Ducks finally awakened at the prospect of their second straight 0-2 series deficit and replied with high-octane hockey – and a few fortunate bounces – that was too much even for Rinne, who hadn’t given up four goals in a game since March 13.

Well, guess what? Guy Boucher doesn’t care if you’re making fun of him on Twitter; he also doesn’t care if you’re less-than-thrilled watching the Senators when they’re, erm, a little “passive”. Streit hasn’t logged a single minute during the playoffs but will likely be the one to step in if Schultz can’t go on Wednesday. Before, we talked, ‘Hey theres going to be a little pushback, but it always stays a little fictional because you havent lived it.