Just like every Cypriot alpine skier, Hungarian speed skater and Romanian luger representing their respective countries, Rickard Rakell is excited about going to Italy next week for the Olympics as a member of Sweden’s entry into the men’s hockey tournament.

But he still needs to attend to some professional concerns as an employee of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Rakell and company failed to do that Monday in their final home game before the three-week Olympic break as they bumbled their way through a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins had a six-game winning streak snapped as they were outshot, 31-16.

Despite struggling to complete simple tasks such as short-area passes or sound changes at the bench, the Penguins were positioned to claim a victory — or at least get a point in overtime — for most of the night as the Senators weren’t all that particularly sharp either.

Ultimately, a highly disputed goal by Senators forward Claude Giroux that required a lengthy review late in regulation was the difference.

Officials initially did not rule that a goal was scored by Giroux as he crashed into the net, dislodging it. In fact, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson was given a tripping minor on the sequence, but a lengthy review followed, resulting in a determination that a valid goal indeed occured.

The Penguins issued an unsuccessful coach’s challenge on the basis of goaltender interference and wound up with a delay of game penalty instead when officials ruled that Karlsson’s foul caused Giroux to crash into the cage.

Penguins rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs fumed over the officials’ ruling.

“For me, it doesn’t make sense,” Silovs said. “He came in, I stopped the puck. He goes like 25 miles (per hour) going down. What (do) they expect me to do? I don’t understand how they think whether they’re protecting players or not. Especially goalies.

“I don’t understand this rule. What’s the decision there? I would understand if it would go straight away in. Then, I would agree with the call. But it’s a second effort. I don’t really agree with the call.”

Silovs’ teammates largely agreed he was the best member of the home squad Monday. Scheduled to suit up for Latvia in the Olympics, Silovs was stout against the Senators, making 28 saves as his record fell to 10-7-8.

“It was not our best game,” Rakell said. “(Silovs) still gave us a chance to be in it. They definitely outplayed us.”

The Penguins have a pair of road games remaining — against the New York Islanders on Tuesday and the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday — before the Olympic break.

“It’s obviously in the back of your head,” Rakell said following Monday’s morning skate in regard to the tournament. “At the same time, just trying to play good hockey here with our team here and doing everything I can for us to help our team win hockey games.”

The Penguins seemed to be in position to get another win early in this contest. Despite staggering throughout the first period, they took the game’s first lead via forward Egor Chinakov’s 10th goal of the season 7:57 into regulation.

Off his own right half-wall, Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon snapped a cross-ice pass to Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who rushed into the offensive zone on the right wing. Slowing down slightly above the near circle, Malkin feathered a slick pass past the stick of Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot to the slot for an onrushing Chinakhov, who buried a forehand shot through goaltender Linus Ullmark’s five hole. Malkin and Wotherspoon had assists.

That Chinakhov – Malkin connection is palpable ⚡️

Pens strike first! pic.twitter.com/PIOYs1BsiH

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) February 3, 2026

Senators forward Michael Amadio tied the game with his eighth goal 95 seconds into the second period.

Sauntering into the offensive zone on the left wing, Amadio advanced to the near circle and tried to fire a wrister but lost possession on a poke check by Penguins defenseman Connor Clifton. A backchecking Malkin tried to claim the puck, but Amadio swiped it back between the hashmarks and smoked a wrister past Silovs’ glove. Defenseman Tyler Kleven and forward Shane Pinto parlayed assists.

pic.twitter.com/t9RwCHGJV1

— EN Videos (@ENVideos19) February 3, 2026

A mistake by the hosts led to the visitors’ first lead at 6:46 of the third period via forward Tim Stutzle’s team-leading 26th goal.

Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea tried to rush the puck up ice in front of the benches but lost it at Ottawa’s blue line on a poke check by Senators defenseman Jordan Spence. As Wotherspoon got jammed up at the home bench on an attempted change, Senators forward Drake Batherson took possession of the puck and generated a breakaway. After Batherson’s wrister was denied by the glove of a sprawling Silovs, Stutzle followed up on the sequence by cleaning up the rebound with a forehand shot past a helpless Silovs. Batherson and Spence secured assists.

pic.twitter.com/T8Z6UzhD4G

— EN Videos (@ENVideos19) February 3, 2026

Penguins forward Tommy Novak tied the game with his 10th goal only 122 seconds later.

Accepting a pass in Ottawa’s right circle, Shea pumped a wrister to the far side of the cage. Ullmark made a fundamentally sound blocker save but directed the rebound to his right, directly into the left leg of Novak. Fending off Chabot, Novak allowed the puck to drop to the ice, then swept in a forehand shot. Shea and Chinakhov collected assists.

TOMMY NOVAK TIES THE GAME AND GETS THE CROWD ON THEIR FEET pic.twitter.com/NlEEvxliZR

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) February 3, 2026

Giroux, a long-time nemesis of the Penguins, restored a lead for the Senators at 14:52 with his 11th goal.

Off a rush through the neutral zone from the left wing, Stutzle took a baseball swing at an airborne puck and creatively sprung Giroux on a breakaway. Approaching the net, Giroux deked to his forehand and was initially denied by Silovs’ left skate. Karlsson trailed on the sequence and slashed the left leg of Giroux twice, prompting Giroux to fall to his knees and barge into the cage, dislodging it.

Just as Giroux’s left shoulder nudged the cage out of position, the puck crossed the goalline.

Along the end boards, referee Alex Lepkowski halted play and conferred with other officials. After Karlsson was assessed a minor penalty and Giroux was escorted to the bench by a team medical staffer, a lengthy review initiated by the league unfolded. Ultimately, officials ruled Giroux scored legally. Stutzle and Batherson had assists.

The Penguins issued a coach’s challenge almost immediately on the grounds of goaltender interference. Officials wasted little time in determining there was a lack of evidence to support that accusation.

“(Silovs) makes a save,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “He gets run into. No chance at all. There’s nothing else that he could do there. I felt like that was one we could challenge. That’s why I challenged.

“I’d challenge that one again.”

The NHL issued a lengthy statement explaining the ruling.

“Video review determined that the puck completely crossed the Pittsburgh goal line before the net became displaced. The decision was in accordance with rule 78.4, “The goal frame shall be considered in its proper position when at least a portion of the flexible peg(s) are still inside both the goal post and the hole in the ice. The flexible pegs could be bent, but as long as at least a portion of the flexible peg(s) are still in the hole in the ice and the goal post, the goal frame shall be deemed to be in its proper position.

“Pittsburgh then initiated a Coach’s Challenge for goaltender interference. Video review determined that the actions of Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson caused Ottawa’s Claude Giroux to contact goaltender (Arturs Silovs) prior to Giroux’s goal. The decision was made in accordance with Note 2 of Rule 38.11 (ii) which states, in part, that the goal should be allowed because “the attacking Player was pushed, shoved or fouled by the defending Player causing the attacking Player to come into contact with the goalkeeper.”

Silovs was a bit more concise when asked if the NHL explains the criteria for goaltender interference sufficiently.

“I think it’s different, (referee to referee),” Silovs said. “Depends on what he thinks is goalie interference. I guess on the other end, a little touch is enough to get a goalie interference call. I don’t know what to say.”

One thing that could clearly be said was that the Penguins faced an uphill battle when it came to special teams. The Senators enjoyed five power-play opportunities while the Penguins were afforded one chance with the man advantage.

“We were definitely thinking that we would maybe get a few more calls,” Rakell said. “But that’s how it goes sometimes.”

The Penguins went to Long Island after the game for a vital encounter with the Islanders. The rivals are duking it out for second place in the Metropolitan Division.

They’ll need to piece together a more cohesive effort than what they offered in their final home game before the Olympics.

“This was a very disappointing game for us,” Rakell said. “We get another chance (Tuesday) to play better hockey.”

Notes:

• The Penguins are now 3 for 8 in coach’s challenges this season. That includes a 3-0 mark with offside sequences and a 0-5 mark on goaltender interference.

• The Penguins scored the opening goal for the 33rd time in only their 54th game this season. That matches their overall total in 82 games last season.

• Penguins forward Bryan Rust served the final contest of a three-game suspension.

• Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves and forward Kevin Hayes were healthy scratches.

• Prior to the game, the Penguins activated Graves from injured reserve. He had missed the previous four contests due to an undisclosed malady.

• Graves and defenseman Caleb Jones participated in Monday’s morning skate with no limitations on contact. Jones remains designated to injured reserve. Various ailments have kept Jones out of the NHL lineup since Oct. 23.

• Ullmark has never lost to the Penguins in his career. At 8-0-0, he has a 2.28 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and one shutout.

• Giroux tied Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin for most career points against the Penguins among active players. In 72 games against the Penguins, Giroux has 78 points (23 goals, 55 assists). Ovechkin has 78 points (43 goals, 35 assists) in 81 games against the Penguins.

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