 Pens star forward Evgeni Malkin is seen during practice at the Bell Sensplex in Ottawa on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. (Tony Caldwell/Ottawa Sun) |
If you wanted a picture of what this strange NHL season is all about at this point, it would be of Pittsburgh Penguins centre Evgeni Malkin Sunday against the Ottawa Senators.
There was a brilliant pass that led to the Penguins only goal of regulation, a cross-slot setup that Pittsburgh winger James Neal buried with a flourish.
There was a gaffe in the neutral zone, overskating a puck waiting to be plucked for a counterattack that instead went to Senators centre Jason Spezza, who motored down the wing and took a shot that created the rebound for Colin Greening to score the Senators only goal of regulation.
In the overtime, there was an horrendous, behind-the-back pass high in the Senators' slot by Malkin that led to a Senators' rush.
Finally, in the shootout, Malkin scored the winner, following up both Neal and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby in beating Senators goaltender Craig Anderson for a 2-1 Pittsburgh victory.
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