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Pens hold off Sens for shootout victory

Feb 13, 2015 - 5:23 AM Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - David Perron scored the game-winner in the shootout as the Pittsburgh Penguins survived for a 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Perron buried a wrister off the crossbar on Pittsburgh's first chance, while Thomas Greiss stopped Kyle Turris then got help as Mika Zibanejad rang one off the post.

Sidney Crosby scored twice, Kris Letang had a goal and an assist and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins, who have won four of their last five. Greiss turned away 29 shots.

"You have to be realistic and see your game for what it was," said Crosby. "We're not coming out of here thinking we played a great game. We learned a good lesson here."

Turris, Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman and Zibanejad all lit the lamp for the Senators, who have lost four of their last five. Robin Lehner allowed four goals on 29 shots in the loss.

Ottawa trailed 4-2 with five minutes to play, but Stone scored on a snap shot from the front with 4:09 left and Turris scored 13 seconds later when his short breakaway saw his shot trickle between the pads of Greiss.

Pittsburgh had the better chances in overtime, but Lehner stopped four shots to force the shootout.

"We came in and said this team's going to be identified by how we respond and I thought for the most part throughout the year we've responded pretty well and I think (Thursday) was no different," said Ottawa forward Bobby Ryan.

It took just 61 seconds for the Penguins to score the game's first goal, as a left circle faceoff win saw Letang wind up with the puck. Skating behind the net, he came out the right side and used a wraparound for his 10th of the season.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead halfway through the first. After Rob Scuderi lifted the puck out of his zone. Crosby caught up to the disc in the Ottawa end and blasted it in for his 18th of the year.

Ryan was awarded a penalty shot at 11:27 of the second period when he was tripped up by Letang on a breakaway, but Greiss was able to turn away the forehand stuff attempt.

Just 2 1/2 minutes later, the Pens made it a 3-0 game after Blake Comeau sent a pass from the right boards to the left circle, where Malkin wristed it high into the net.

Ottawa had a pair of power plays early in the third period, and cashed in on the second one. Ryan sent a pass from the left circle to the side of the net, where Zibanejad brought it from the backhand to the forehand and slid it in at 5:09.

The Sens made it a one-goal game less than four minutes later, as a right circle faceoff win saw Ryan and Hoffman work the puck and Hoffman snapping it in from the right circle with a quick shot.

Pittsburgh, though, gave itself some needed insurance with 5:07 to play. A turnover in the neutral zone saw Chris Kunitz fly in down the right wing and throw a shot on net. Lehner stopped it, but the puck sat between his pads and Crosby smacked it in.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh plays at Chicago on Sunday ... Ottawa hosts Edmonton on Saturday ... Ryan posted two assists, as did Eric Karlsson for Ottawa ... The Senators went 1-for-3 on the power play while the Pens failed on their one chance.