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Penguins, Senators battle for Eastern Conference control

Feb 23, 2008 - 2:01 PM Ottawa (35-20-6) at Pittsburgh (35-21-5) 3:00 pm EST

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The Ottawa Senators are clinging to the slimmest of leads at the top of the Eastern Conference. The Pittsburgh Penguins are right on their heels.

The Penguins will try to gain control of the East when they host the Senators on Saturday.

Ottawa gained one point on Thursday in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The point gave them 76 for the season, one more than Pittsburgh, the New Jersey Devils (35-21-5) and the Montreal Canadiens (33-20-9) at the top of the crowded Eastern Conference.

The Senators held a comfortable lead in the East a month ago, but have gone 6-10-2 since January 13.

The top scoring team in the NHL, Ottawa's problems of late have come on the defensive end. The club has allowed 59 goals in the last 18 games, an average of 3.3 per contest.

Pittsburgh is 6-2-0 in its last eight games and will likely welcome back captain Sidney Crosby, who has been out with a high ankle sprain since January 18, at some point next week.

The Penguins have been riding the hot play of Russian star Evgeni Malkin since Crosby's injury. The second-year All-Star has totaled 31 points in 15 games without Crosby to move into the NHL lead with 82 points so far this season. The team is 9-4-2 without their star center.

Malkin had a goal and two assists Thursday in Pittsburgh's 5-4 victory over Montreal.

The teams have split two meetings this season, with the Penguins' win coming in a shootout. Senators' center Jason Spezza has four goals in the two contests.