Penguins lose special teams battle to Senators in overtime

The rhythm of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-4 overtime road against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday was established early.

Like, 45-seconds-into-the-game early.

That’s when Penguins forward Jason Zucker took a holding penalty after somewhat minimal contact in the neutral zone against Senators forward Claude Giroux, who didn’t seem to be bashful in alerting the officials to Zucker’s actions.

What followed was a cascade of infractions for both squads that was so unrelenting, the hinges to each penalty box door might require a can or two of 3-IN-ONE oil in order to continue functioning properly.

Referees Ghislain Hebert and Dan O’Rouke saw fit to dole out 28 minutes worth of penalties that equated to 14 different power-play opportunities (nine for the Senators and five for the Penguins).

In total, of the 60 minutes and 25 seconds that composed Wednesday’s contest, 21:01 — roughly the equivalent of a solid No. 2 or 3 defenseman’s average time on ice — was spent with someone operating on a power-play opportunity.

The Penguins’ penalty kill, which has been inconsistent as of late, wilted under such frequent deployment on Wednesday and was torched for four goals.

Oddly enough, an even-strength score — during three-on-three play only 25 seconds into overtime — by forward Brady Tkachuk was the difference.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan largely bit his tongue while speaking with media that traveled to Ottawa following the game.

“It’s pretty tough to assess a game like that when (so much of) the game is special teams,” Sullivan said. “There was no flow to it. There was no five-on-five (play). It was ridiculous.

“Let’s just say I questioned a fair amount of the calls.”

While Sullivan did not orate much about the officiating after the contest, his theatrics during it spoke volumes.

After the Senators took a bench penalty for too many men on the ice at the 11:30 mark of the third period, Sullivan offered a “golf clap” to the on-ice officials.

On other occasions, Sullivan was caught by television cameras apparently directing vocabulary not available in a standard dictionary at those wearing striped shirts.

The Penguins were clearly not happy with the work of Hebert and O’Rourke. Forward Bryan Rust incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct minor at 19:19 of the second period for protesting too vehemently an alleged dive by Senators forward Tim Stutzle.

At the same time, they did not dodge their shortcomings on the penalty kill.

“I don’t think we got enough pressure on the puck,” defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “We gave them too much time today. When our (penalty) kill is good, we pressure the puck all the time. We don’t give them time enough to make plays. They were moving it pretty quick, but I think we can do a better job of pressing the puck.”

A ho-hum, mundane five-on-five goal actually opened the scoring in this game 6:36 into regulation.

Gaining the offensive blue line on the right wing, Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin pulled up above the right circle and offloaded a pass to Pettersson in the high slot. Surveying the scene, Pettersson launched a wrister on net that goaltender Cam Talbot stopped with his glove but failed to catch. The puck bounced loose in the blue paint and Penguins forward Jason Zucker darted by the right post to backhand in his 12th goal of the season. Malkin and Pettersson had assists.

After Penguins forward Jeff Carter took a double-minor penalty for high sticking ex-Penguins forward Derick Brassard at 7:09 of the first period, the Senators scored two power-play goals.

A score by former Erie Otters forward Alex DeBrincat at the 7:44 mark tied the game, 1-1. Settling a puck above the Penguins’ right circle, Senators forward Drake Batherson slipped a seam pass to the left circle for DeBrincat, who elevated a fairly pedestrian wrister over goaltender Casey DeSmith’s right shoulder on the near side for his 15th goal off assists from Batherson and defenseman Thomas Chabot.

The Senators took their first lead exactly two minutes later. After Penguins forward Sidney Crosby won a faceoff in his own right circle, defenseman Brian Dumoulin failed to corral it and allowed Tkachuk to claim possession then deal a pass to the right point for Stutzle. Hesitating for a moment, Stutzle deked around a sluggish Crosby and surged to the high slot, where he rocketed a wrister past DeSmith’s blocker for his 20th goal. The lone assist went to Tkachuk.

Another power-play score tied the game, 2-2, at 15:23 of the opening frame. Taking a pass in the high slot, Penguins defenseman Ty Smith gripped and ripped a wrister at the cage. Talbot made the initial save with his glove but once again, failed to secure it and allowed a rebound. Malkin, lurching to the right of the blue paint, pushed a forehand shot into the cage for his 15th goal. Smith and Crosby claimed assists.

The Penguins restored a lead, 3-2, through an unlikely source in defenseman Mark Friedman, who scored his first goal of the season (and first since March 11) at 3:07 of the second period. Settling a puck at the right point, Pettersson faked a slapper and then slid a pass to the top of the left circle where Friedman uncorked a one-timer. Once again, Talbot got a piece of it with his glove but not enough as the puck bounded into the cage. Pettersson and Crosby tallied assists.

Things were tied once again with yet another power-play goal at 9:19 of the second. Taking a pass at the center point of the offensive zone, Chabot chopped a one-timer that Batherson, positioned just to the left of the crease, deflected on net with his stick. DeSmith made the save but allowed a rebound to the right of the blue paint, where Tkachuk out-muscled Pettersson and tapped a backhand pass to Batherson, who swept in a forehand shot past DeSmith’s right skate for his 14th goal. Tkachuk and Chabot claimed assists.

The Senators went in back in front, 4-3, 10:53 into the third period via their fourth power-play score.

Gaining the offensive zone on the left wing, Tkachuk dished a short-area pass to Senators forward Shane Pinto above the left circle. Fording his way through ample open space, Pinto used Dumoulin as a screen and lifted a wrister past DeSmith’s glove for his 11th goal. Tkachuk and Giroux had assists.

After the Senators were caught with too many skaters at 11:30 of the third — an infraction that elicited Sullivan’s sarcastic reaction — the Penguins responded quickly after that when forward Rickard Rakell scored their second power-play goal at 12:33 of the third.

Taking a pass at the left point of the Senators’ zone, Crosby chopped a pass to the slot for Rakell, who had to knock the puck down with his stomach. Spinning backward, Rakell whipped a wrister that squeaked through Talbot’s gear and leaked into the cage for his 16th goal. Crosby and Malkin tallied assists.

Tkachuk claimed victory early in overtime.

Gaining the offensive zone at center point, Stutzle crisscrossed with Tkachuk and offloaded the puck with a drop pass. Taking possession, Tkachuk lined up Pettersson as a screen in the right circle and fired a wrister that found an avenue through DeSmith’s right armpit and into the cage for his 16th goal. Stutzle and Chabot had assists.

DeSmith’s record fell to 6-9-3 after he stopped 35 of the 40 shots he faced.

In contrast, the Penguins could only muster 20 shots Wednesday.

After all, they were down a man far too often.

“We put our penalty kill in a really tough spot,” Zucker said. “Having to kill (so many) penalties, it’s a tall task. It starts with me on (his first shift of the game). It just carried through. We’ve got to be better staying out of the box and not putting our (penalty killers) in that tough of a spot.”

Notes:

• Dumoulin logged a season-high in ice time Wednesday (24:13). His total was buoyed by the penalty kill (9:26). His previous high-water mark for the season (23:04) came last week during a 4-1 home loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 13.

• Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel also logged a season-high 21:27 of ice time on Wednesday (much of which came on the penalty kill where he clocked 9:18). His previous season-high for time on ice was 17:09 during a 4-2 road win against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 15.

• The Penguins’ scratches were defensemen Taylor Fedun (healthy), Jan Rutta (undisclosed injury) and forward Danton Heinen (healthy).

• These teams are scheduled for a rematch Friday at PPG Paints Arena shortly after 7 p.m.

• The Penguins played the Senators for the first time this season. The only teams they have yet to face in 2022-23 are the Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks.

• Friedman’s last regular season goal came during a 5-2 home win against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 11.

• The Penguins’ most recent overtime loss to the Senators came in a 2-1 road defeat, Dec. 8, 2018. Forward Ryan Dzingel scored on a four-on-three power-play opportunity against DeSmith.

• Senators forward Mathieu Joseph, brother of Penguins rookie defenseman P.O Joseph, was a healthy scratch. The Josephs have yet to play one another in an NHL game. According to Sportsnet’s broadcast, approximately 40 to 50 of the Josephs’ relatives were in attendance for this contest.

• Batherson now has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in five career games against the Penguins.

• Senators forward Josh Norris returned to the lineup after missing 38 games due to a shoulder injury.