Penguins 5 - Senators 4(SO): Deja Vu!

Oops, Sid did it again.

No points during regulation, but the shootout winner. Thanks to Sid's sudden shootout skill, the Pens won a tough battle over the Ottawa Senators 5-4.

Maybe we ought to stop talking about the slump. It doesn't seem to be helping :(

On the bright side, check out Jordan Staal with yet ANOTHER shorthanded goal. When is the last time a rookie has led the league in SH goals? Has it happened?


From NHL.com:

Sidney Crosby is making crucial contributions to the Pittsburgh Penguins' offense despite enduring one of the worst scoring slumps of his young career.

Crosby scored his third shootout goal in four games and Pittsburgh overcame a three-goal deficit for a 5-4 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.

Despite being held without a point for the fourth time in five games, Crosby scored on Pittsburgh's third shot against Ray Emery, who made a glove save off Evgeni Malkin after Eric Christensen beat him on the Penguins' first shootout attempt.

"I'm trying to (contribute) any way I can," Crosby said. "Obviously that's the easier way but you get a chance where basically, you score, you win, kind of thing. So I've had that opportunity a couple of times and I've tried to take advantage of it.

"Hopefully the time will come when I'll be able to do it 5-on-5 and in regulation, and obviously in the shootouts, when I need it."

Jocelyn Thibault stopped Dany Heatley and Antoine Vermette before Dean McAmmond scored on Ottawa's third attempt, forcing Crosby's decisive attempt.

"You just kind of wait to see what he does, try to be as patient as you can," Emery said. "I wasn't patient enough."

Crosby scored the winner in Thursday's 4-3 shootout win over the New York Rangers. He also scored in the shootout Sunday as Christensen got the winner in a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia.

"I know before Christmas he was having a hard time scoring in the shootout but we stuck with it and he practiced a lot," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "When the game's on the line those are the type of players you want to see performing and there's no doubt he's performing really well in the shootout."

Crosby, who leads the NHL with 98 points, was held without a point for the second straight game. The 19-year-old phenom has one assist - his 200th career point - in five games, matching the worst slump of his career.

"It's different when you're not getting chances or you're not able to create things, that's probably the most frustrating, but I think the chances have been there," said Crosby, who had eight shots in the game, including six in the first period. "It's just a matter of you're not getting breaks and getting some bad bounces. You go through those times and hope they'll last as short as possible."