Kessel ends goal drought as Penguins win to level series
PITTSBURGH: Phil Kessel scored the only goal as the Pittsburgh Penguins won a tense battle with the Ottawa Senators 1-0 to square their best-of-seven series on Monday.
Kessel rifled his shot past Craig Anderson’s left pad with 6:55 left in the third quarter to settle an attritional game at the PGG Paints Arena.
Ottawa had won Saturday’s opener 2-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
But Kessel — who was seen gesticulating wildly to his teammates throughout the game — ended a three-game scoring drought to make it 1-1 heading into Game Three in Ottawa on Thursday morning (Thai time).
Pittsburgh were indebted to a superb display from Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 23 saves to record his second clean sheet in three games which have given up only two goals.
Anderson, meanwhile, made 28 saves for Ottawa but could do nothing about Kessel’s well-struck winner.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan paid tribute to his team’s versatility after the victory.
“What I love about this group of players is we can win different ways,” Sullivan said.
“We have some talented guys, but we don’t have to win a game 7-6. We can win a game 1-0, just like we did tonight, as long as we make sure that we embrace that challenge. Most importantly, we’re a team that doesn’t beat itself. We make sure that we stay focused. We take what the game gives us out there.”
Sullivan was unfazed by Kessel’s wild demeanour on the bench.
“It tells me he’s invested. Like, I love that about the guy. He’s always like that,” Sullivan said. “I think our players get a kick out of him, quite honestly. He’s a vocal guy. He’s an emotional guy, and he’s all in. He wants to win.
“So when he comes back to the bench, if he thinks he wanted a puck or he was open, he lets a player know. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
The win came at a cost for Pittsburgh, who saw both right wing Bryan Rust and Justin Schultz leave the game early with apparent injuries.