The Ottawa Senators missed open nets and hit posts with regularity last night. And if they weren’t doing that, Marc-Andre Fleury was stoning their shooters. After falling behind 1-0 late in the first, Bill Guerin (2) responded a little more than half a minute later to tie the game up and the Penguins never trailed again against an improved Senators squad.
Guerin crashed towards Leclaire between the pipes for Ottawa and his shot careened off the boards and right back to the front of the net. Leclaire looked to his left as the puck squirted to his right and Guerin, falling down with a Senator draped on his shoulder, powered the puck into the net. Mr. Hockeyburgh 2009, Tyler Kennedy, added two goals (his third and fourth of the season) in the second and Jordan Staal added his third in the third to down the Senators.
Fleury stopped 30 of 31 shots he face and displayed his continuing to improve puck handling skills to backstop the Penguins to a 4-1 win. The Penguins improved to 5-1 and head to Carolina for their first meeting of the season with the Hurricanes and first meeting since the Penguins embarrassed the ‘Canes by sweeping them 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
