Penguins Edge Senators in Shootout, Back in 2nd Place

Pittsburgh's Swedish stars Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson lead the way in crucial victory.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 1:53am

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In a tight Eastern Conference playoff race, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-3 in a shootout to move back into second place. Penguins rookies Ben Kindel and Egor Chinakhov scored in the shootout, while goaltender Stuart Skinner made a key save in overtime to preserve the tie. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left the game with an apparent leg/ankle injury in the first period.

Why it matters

With just 11 games remaining, every point is crucial as the Penguins and Senators battle for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. This win gives the Penguins a crucial two points and vaults them back into second place in the standings.

The details

The game had a playoff atmosphere as the teams traded goals throughout. Penguins winger Rickard Rakell scored twice, including a power play goal in the third period to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead. However, Ottawa's Drake Batherson tied the game late in the third to force overtime. In the extra session, both teams had breakaway chances but were denied by the goaltenders. In the shootout, Penguins rookie Ben Kindel scored the winner after Egor Chinakhov had tied it earlier.

  • The game was played on March 27, 2026.
  • Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left the game with an injury late in the first period.

The players

Rickard Rakell

A Swedish forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins who had two goals in the game.

Erik Karlsson

A Swedish defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins who had three points in the game.

Ben Kindel

A Penguins rookie who scored the shootout-winning goal.

Drake Batherson

An Ottawa Senators forward who scored twice, including the game-tying goal in the third period.

Sidney Crosby

The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins who left the game with an apparent leg/ankle injury.

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What’s next

The Penguins will await an update on the status of captain Sidney Crosby's injury. His availability for the team's upcoming games will be crucial as they continue to battle for playoff positioning.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory over a division rival keeps the Penguins in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. The contributions of their Swedish stars Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson, along with the emergence of young players like Ben Kindel, show the Penguins have the depth and talent to make a deep postseason run if they can stay healthy down the stretch.