Penguins at Senators
A three-game losing streak has many questioning whether the Pittsburgh Penguins ultimately are going to find themselves out of the postseason picture. The Penguins can silence the critics and secure a playoff berth with a regulation win when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh has sandwiched 4-1 losses to Philadelphia around a 5-3 setback to Columbus on Saturday to find itself clinging to the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, albeit tied in points with Detroit - and just two ahead of Ottawa. "We need more," Penguins coach Mike Johnston said. "We have to find more. We have to dig down and search for more. It's a results-oriented business. You've got to win games this time of year." The Senators certainly have been doing that, posting a blistering 19-4-3 mark since dropping a 5-4 shootout decision to Pittsburgh on Feb. 12.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), TSN5, RDS (Ottawa)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (42-26-11): Captain Sidney Crosby has recorded two goals and an assist in two victories over Ottawa but saw his five-game point streak come to an end in Sunday afternoon's setback to the Flyers. "This is the time of year where you have to be desperate, and every point is so important," said Crosby, who leads the league with 81 points. Defenseman Ian Cole extended his point streak to a career-high four games, however, as he assisted on Brandon Sutter's second goal in as many contests.
ABOUT THE SENATORS (40-26-13): Andrew Hammond was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after posting a 3-0-1 record with a 1.63 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. The first-year sensation looks to rebound from just his third defeat (17-1-2, 1.86 GAA) after he made 36 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto on Sunday. Captain Erik Karlsson leads all NHL defensemen with 65 points, and has eight goals and 19 assists in his last 26 games.
OVERTIME
1. Senators rookie RW Mark Stone scored one goal and set up another versus the Maple Leafs to extend his point streak to six games (four goals, four assists).
2. Pittsburgh G Marc-Andre Fleury has yielded 18 goals in his last five games (1-3-1).
3. Senators C Kyle Turris has recorded one goal and four assists during his three-game point streak.