Short-handed Penguins 'dig in' for pivotal points

Penguins overcome injuries, tough bounces, and shootout woes to earn crucial win over Senators

Mar. 27, 2026 at 9:50am

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The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a slew of adversity, including an injury to captain Sidney Crosby, to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday night. The win was crucial for the Penguins' playoff positioning, as they remain in a tight race in the Eastern Conference. Despite falling behind early, the Penguins battled back with goals from Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson, and ultimately prevailed in the shootout to earn the two points.

Why it matters

The Penguins are in a tight race for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, with little margin for error. This win over the Senators, who are also fighting for a postseason berth, was pivotal in keeping the Penguins in a top-three spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins showed resilience in overcoming Crosby's injury and other challenges to secure the victory.

The details

The Senators took an early lead with a power-play goal from Drake Batherson, but Rickard Rakell tied it late in the first period. Nick Cousins put Ottawa back in front in the second, but Rakell and Karlsson scored to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead. Batherson tied it in the third, but the Penguins killed off a late penalty and prevailed in the shootout, with Egor Chinakhov and Ben Kindel scoring for Pittsburgh.

  • Crosby left late in the first period after getting his left leg tangled up with Dylan Cozens.
  • Cousins gave the Senators a lead 1:50 into the second period.
  • Karlsson scored to retake the lead for the Penguins two minutes after Cousins' goal.
  • Batherson scored to tie the game in the third period.
  • The game went to a shootout, where the Penguins prevailed.

The players

Sidney Crosby

The Penguins' captain, who left the game in the first period due to an injury.

Rickard Rakell

A Penguins forward who scored a goal and had an assist in the game.

Erik Karlsson

A Penguins defenseman who scored a goal and had an assist.

Drake Batherson

A Senators forward who scored two goals in the game.

Linus Ullmark

The Senators' goaltender, who had previously given the Penguins trouble.

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What they’re saying

“Every game feels like a must-win. You win, you're in. You lose one? You're out.”

— Erik Karlsson

“Everybody hates seeing that happen. But at the same time, we've got to keep playing.”

— Rickard Rakell, Penguins forward

“It meant a lot. It was a lot of emotions. This game felt like it was a really tight game from the start of it. It was a battle, a great effort from everybody throughout the lineup. Stu had a great game. This was huge for us.”

— Rickard Rakell, Penguins forward

“It was massive. I thought it was a playoff-style game. I mean, Ottawa needs the points. We need the points. It's so tight in the East, so being able to get these two points is massive.”

— Tristan Jarry, Penguins goaltender

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.