Perron’s shootout goal powers Pens past Sens

Associated Press

OTTAWA

David Perron scored the shootout winner to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Sidney Crosby, with two goals, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins, while Thomas Greiss made 29 saves.

Mika Zibanejad, Mike Hoffman Mark Stone and Kyle Turris scored for the Senators, playing their first of a five-game homestand. Robin Lehner, making his career-high seventh consecutive start, stopped 25 shots.

Down 3-0 to start the third period, the Senators made an impressive comeback to tie the game 4-4 late in the period.

Perron scored the only goal of the shootout with a quick wrist shot.

After struggling to beat Greiss, Zibanejad got Ottawa on the board after taking a nifty pass from Bobby Ryan.

Ryan picked up his second assist of the night as he and Hoffman worked a give-and-go, culminating with Hoffman’s 18th of the season.

Crosby regained the two-goal lead for the Penguins as he spotted a loose puck between Lehner’s legs and pushed it in.

But Ottawa went on to score goals 13 seconds apart to tie the game. Stone took a pass from Turris in close to beat Greiss, then Turris scored through Greiss’ pads to make it 4-4.

Ryan was awarded a penalty shot after being pulled down by Letang in the second period. Ryan made a great move, but Greiss read it well and made the stop.

Shortly after, Erik Karlsson fired a shot that bounced off Greiss’ head and fell behind him. But the Penguins netminder somehow managed to keep it out of the net. Greiss then stopped Karlsson again from in close.

The Penguins added to the Senators’ frustration when Malkin scored from the faceoff circle to make it 3-0. They had opened the scoring 61 seconds into the game as Letang beat Lehner on a wraparound. Then Crosby picked up his first of the night after taking a sharp pass from Rob Scuderi and rifling a shot past Lehner.

Rangers 6, Avalanche 3

DENVER

Kevin Hayes had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers survived a third-period rally to beat the reeling Colorado Avalanche.

Rick Nash scored his NHL-leading 34th goal and Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for New York.

The Rangers have won four of their last six to move into third place in the Metropolitan Division. They are three points behind second-place Pittsburgh and have played one less game than the Penguins.

Jarome Iginla, Gabriel Landeskog and Jan Hejda scored for Colorado, which has lost four straight.

The Avalanche, a week ago sitting just outside the last playoff spot after winning three of four, have fallen into last place in the Central Division.