Gästeforum » et back in the game for the most part,

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are continually refining their game with the playoffs approaching. They looked ready Monday night. Marc-Andre Fleury robbed former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson with a sparkling third-period glove save and James Neal scored at 3:05 of overtime, giving the Penguins a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators 2-1. "I just tried to get my leg, my glove over there and try to stop it," Fleury said. "I was glad it went in my glove." Neal netted his 18th of the season and his first goal in nine games for the Penguins, who won for the 16th time in 17 home games and are now 23-4 at Consol Energy Center. Pittsburgh also avoided back-to-back regulation losses for the first time since dropping three straight in early November. "When you dont score you sometimes try to pick corners and be a little too cute," Neal said. "I was able to find one tonight. It was a good feeling." Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson stopped Robert Bortuzzo from the slot in overtime, but the rebound popped out to Neal, who dragged the puck around a Senators defender before dumping a shot past an out-of-position Anderson and into an empty net. "I was trying to be patient with the puck and wait for an opening," Neal said. "I knew their D-man was going to go down and Anderson was kind of far out when (Bortuzzo) got the puck to the net." Ottawas Stephane Da Costa and Pittsburghs Brian Gibbons scored in the first period. Ottawas best chance to take the lead in regulation came midway through the third period, but Fleury robbed Karlsson with a dazzling glove save. Fleury, while pushing from post to post, reached high above the cross bar, snagging the fluttering wrist shot from Karlsson, who had a partially wide open net to shoot at. "I dont know if theres a save that beats it," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said. "It was going high to the right corner and he had to get up there and get it. "It was an open cage, he pushes over, and gets the glove up to make the save. I hope we see this one over and over again." Karlsson might see it in his sleep. The Senators leading scorer fell to the ice in astonishment after Fleurys stop. "I just smiled at him," Karlsson said. "Theres nothing I can really say. He knows he made a good save and unfortunately Im going to be on the highlights for quite some time with that one." Fleury stopped 24 shots for his league-leading 30th win of the season, while Anderson turned aside 46 shots for the hard-luck loss. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who leads the NHL with 75 points, was held without a point and hasnt scored a goal in five games, his longest drought since a seven-game slump earlier this season. "Hes 100 per cent," Bylsma said. "He was our best player on both sides of the puck and I thought he played an excellent game regardless of whether he got a point or not." The Penguins, who lead the Eastern Conference with 80 points, went 6-3-1 their previous 10 games, looking dominant during impressive wins against Montreal and Los Angeles but struggling in losses against Edmonton, Florida, Dallas, and Phoenix, all teams out of playoff contention. The Senators handed the Penguins arguably their worst loss of the season Dec. 23 in Ottawa, shutting them out 5-0 in a physical contest that saw Pittsburgh forward Pascal Dupuis tear his anterior cruciate ligament on a hit from Marc Methot. Ottawa, in the mix for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot, allowed three goals in the final 5:58 during a 6-3 loss at Toronto on Saturday, the second time in four games the Senators allowed six goals. The improved, hardened defensive effort Monday was certainly enough to help the Senators a win but they couldnt take advantage of their opportunities. "We played hard," Anderson said. "We gave ourselves the opportunity to be there. Just unfortunate we didnt come out with two points." Ottawa broke through at 5:56 of the first period, Da Costa scoring his third of the season after he lifted a short-side wrist shot over Fleurys shoulder from the top of the crease. Ottawas Zack Smith took a boarding call 29 seconds later and the leagues top power-play unit capitalized with the man advantage winding down, tying the game after Gibbons tipped Olli Maattas shot from the point past Anderson. That was all until Neals goal in the overtime won it for Pittsburgh. NOTES: Penguins D Kris Letang, who leads the team defensively with 10 goals, missed his third straight game with an undisclosed illness. ... Penguins F Taylor Pyatt left with a lower body injury after the games first shift. ... Pittsburgh is 14-1 at home when it registers at least one power-play goal. The Penguins penalty kill is perfect in a season-high nine straight home games dating back to Dec. 19. ... Ottawa concludes a three-game road trip Tuesday at St. Louis, while Pittsburgh visits Buffalo on Wednesday. ... Ottawa D Chris Phillips missed his fourth straight game with a lower body injury, while Matt Kassian and Joe Corvo also sat out for the Senators. Forwards Andrew Ebbett and Jayson Megna were healthy scratches for Pittsburgh. Corey Seager Jersey . The question is how many minutes will be available to them and can any of their defence or goaltending provide value? Top Picks: Following a down year in 2011-2012, Matt Duchene rebounded with his highest points-per-game (0. Kenta Maeda Jersey .Just like old times.Only this time, just one got to enjoy a victory.James return to Miami as an opponent was a success — for the Heat, that is. Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng had 25 points and dogged James defensively all night, and the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 in a hyped Christmas matchup Thursday. http://www.dodgerssale.com/dodgers-rich-hill-jersey/ .com) - Top seed Klara Zakopalova reached the second round, while former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone came up a loser Tuesday at the inaugural Rio Open tennis event. Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. Mike Piazza Dodgers Jersey . Especially after he got ejected. "How many innings was that?" he wondered.DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars used a strong power play to stay in the Western Conference playoff chase on Monday night. Ray Whitney and Tyler Seguin scored with a man advantage and Dallas held off the Winnipeg Jets 2-1. "Power plays for us won it, and the power play for them got them back into it," Whitney said. The victory allowed Dallas to move within a point of the Phoenix Coyotes for the Western Conferences final playoff spot. The Stars have missed the playoffs in each of the past five seasons. Kari Lehtonen, whose 32 saves for Dallas included 14 in the third period, didnt give up a goal until the Jets Bryan Little scored with 2:44 remaining. Winnipeg had a 4-on-3 power play, and added a fifth skater by pulling goalie Al Montoya. "Special teams won the game, and the goalie made saves when he needed to," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "Kari was excellent. His saves were great, and his puck handling really helped us. He made some good passes." Stars captain Jamie Benn assisted on both goals. The Jets continued to fade in the post-season race. "It is (tough to make a playoff push like this)," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "The final results havent been good enough for our team. Were just getting closer to it. Were not there." The Jets are 2-6-3 in their past 11 games. One of the victories was a 7-2 rout of visiting Dallas eight days earlier. Ruff said he did not use that game as motivation. "I didnt even talk about last week. We had a tough night in goal, and when you start chasing the game, it can get ugly." Dallas defence has allowed only two goals in the past two games after giving up 16 in the previous three, all losses. Ruff said: "I think weve cleaned up the individual mistakes." The Stars have 79 points. Phoenix received a point for an overtime loss against the Rangers to reach 80. Whitney said that the team did some scoreboard watching. "We all look up to see the out-of-town scores. Everybody these last three weeks will be doing that." He scored 5:32 into the game from the left faceoff circle on a slap shot that went off Montoya and into the upper left corner. Late in the period, Dallas Valeri Nichushkin beat two defenders for a breakaway on the power play. Montoya, who finished with 25 saves, stoppeed the rookies backhand shot.dddddddddddd Winnipegs best chances came midway through the first, but Lehtonen stopped Blake Wheeler in close and saved Jim Slaters wraparound attempt. The Stars finished the period with a 12-11 edge in shots, and a 1-0 lead. Just 13 seconds into Dallas third power play, Tyler Seguin pulled the puck out of a pile in front and lifted a shot over Montoya at 16:09 of the second. Seguins 32nd goal was his sixth in five games against Winnipeg this season. His 10 points against the Jets are his highest total against any opponent. Winnipeg nearly scored on its first power play of the game. With two minutes remaining in the second, Lehtonen reached back to smother the puck after a shot from the blue line bounced off the crossbar. Defence dominated in a period when the Stars outshot the Jets 9-7. Winnipeg spent much of the third period in the Dallas end, peppering Lehtonen with 15 shots, but fell a goal short. "I thought we battled hard to try and get back in the game for the most part, especially the third," Little said. "We never really gave up and we made a push kind of like we did last game and just like last game, we came one short again." Whitney said: "I thought in the third we kind of sat back a little bit and played prevent D. When the situation tightens these last 11 games, youre going to see more of that." NOTES: Jets captain Andrew Ladd missed the game because his wife, Brandi, gave birth to a baby girl Sunday. He is expected to rejoin the team Thursday at San Jose for the second game of a five-game trip. Evander Kane joined Little and Michael Frolik on the first line. ... Goalie Ondrej Pavelec missed his fifth consecutive game because of an upper body injury. Wheeler left the ice in the third period after skating into an open door by the Dallas bench. He later rejoined his teammates on Winnipegs bench. . Sergei Gonchars first-period assist was his eighth in the past six games against the Jets. ... Benn has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in his past 11 games. ... The Stars last game with more than one power-play goal was March 6. ... Ruff said Erik Cole, who has missed the past two games because of an upper-body injury, would not accompany the team to Chicago for Tuesdays game against the Blackhawks. ' ' '