In Pittsburgh, Brady Tkachuk hit for a double on Saturday night to help the visiting Ottawa Senators end a three-game slide in a 5-2 win over the Penguins.
“I think it forced us to play simple,” Tkachuk said. “I think it forced us to focus on the defensive side of the puck and go from there. Each line has the mindset of wanting to be even or better. That’s what we’re going to have to carry moving forward. Take advantage of the opportunities that they give us.”
Joonas Korpisalo made 40 saves in the win, he faced 22 shots in the first period.
“They came in hot, threw everything to the net in the first period,” Korpisalo said. “I think we did a great job blocking shots, clearing the rebounds. There were quite a few of them today. Battling today. That was the key word.”
Sidney Crosby scored in the middle frame to cut into a 3-0 hole the Pens had dug for themselves.
“I thought Ottawa was very opportunistic,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “The chances that they got they finished on. They’re a team that can score goals. They have some dynamic forwards.
“So, I thought they were opportunistic. It’s not an easy one, I think, right after the game to digest the goaltending performance, per se. For me, it’s more about the collective effort.”
Pittsburgh has lost four of five.
idly Greig and Tkachuk scored in the first period to give the Sens a 2-0 lead.
Dominik Kubalik extended the Senators lead to 3-0 at 5:28 of the middle frame.
“I hate that we had to give one up there at the end for [Korpisalo],” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “He was real solid most of the night. Not a lot of odd-man rushes. Clogged it up. That’s just the way we have to play sometimes.”
Crosby then cut it to 3-1.
Beginning at 13:07 of the third, Ottawa scored twice in 38 seconds with Tkachuk and Drake Batherson doing the damage for a 5-1 lead..
“They’re too good to give that team that many good looks. Well, not that many, but the looks they got were really good,” Pittsburgh defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “Our energy was good from the start, but we were down 2-0. I think we got a little frustrated 
in our structure and kind of lost it and gave them good looks that they capitalized on.”
Jake Guentzel scored with 34 seconds left on the game clock for the 5-2 final.
“I think you never want to lose, but I thought the first two periods were good from our end,” Guentzel said. “Obviously in the third, we pressed a little bit. … Some positives to take out of it. Just have to bear down.”
Tristan Jarry got the start for the Pens, he surrendered three goals, making just six saves before getting the hook.
Magnus Hellberg made 15 saves in relief in his Penguins debut.
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