Penguins Show Moxie in Shootout Loss to Ottawa

It didn’t show up on the score sheet. And it definitely won’t make a short list of Sidney Crosby’s career highlights. Unlike his fabulous one-handed goal against Buffalo on Tuesday night.

But Crosby’s pushback during a first-period scrum against Ottawa last night spoke volumes of his character and leadership. Not to mention his banged-up team’s mettle.

From the opening faceoff, the Senators left little doubt about their tactics. Led by rugged defensemen Marc Methot, Dion Phaneuf and NHL penalty king Mark Borowiecki, they hit the Pens hard and often through the early going.

Methot hammered Scott Wilson three minutes in. Ninety ticks later Borowiecki—a one-man wrecking crew (11 hits)—welcomed Carter Rowney to the Canadian Tire Centre with a similarly brusque in-your-face greeting.

To the delight of the home crowd, the Sens had the Pens on the run. All that was missing from the proceedings was a Chris Neil beatdown.

Then Sid shoved back.

Around the 13-minute mark, the Pens’ captain accidentally slashed Methot across the left hand. The hulking Ottawa defender recoiled in pain, then removed his glove to reveal a bloody finger. After confronting Crosby, he exited to the dressing room, done for the evening.

“I was just trying to get his stick and I think I caught his finger judging by his reaction and their reaction,” Sid explained later. “I’ve gotten those before. They don’t feel good.”

Seeking to inflame the good citizens of Ottawa, the PA crew pounced. They dutifully displayed video of Methot’s bloodied appendage on the huge scoreboard screen for all to see. The 18,102 in attendance howled their disapproval.

Sid was a marked man. In enemy territory no less.

Moments later, during a net-front scrum in the Ottawa zone, Sens forward Zack Smith decided to get even. A frequent dance partner of former Pen Robert Bortuzzo, Smith grabbed Sid under the chin with a stiff-arm left and, with henchman Phaneuf crowding in, popped No. 87 in the mush.

Challenge issued.

Phil Kessel tried to intervene, but was swallowed up by a cadre of red-and-black clad Sens.

Picture General Custer at Little Big Horn. Sid was on his own.

Having undergone a dental procedure only hours earlier to replace two front teeth, Crosby was in no mood to play punching bag. He lashed back at his antagonist.

Challenge met.

In an instant, the tenor of the game shifted. Suddenly, the hunted became the hunter.

Crosby collided with Phaneuf in the corner following the ensuing faceoff, knocking the burly blueliner off the puck. Newcomer Frank Corrado—hardly a noted pugilist—rushed to Matt Cullen’s aid after the veteran center was flattened by Ottawa pepper pot Tommy Wingels.

Midway through the second period, Josh Archibald delivered the crowning blow. Racing in at top speed, he flattened Borowiecki with a huge, clean hit along the wall. One of four solid checks dished out by the feisty forward on the night.

Our Pens didn’t win the war. Ottawa prevailed, 2-1, thanks to a third-period marker by Sens nemesis Mike Hoffman and shootout tallies by Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan. Which eclipsed an earlier power-play goal by red-hot Nick Bonino.

A sensational 34-save performance by ex-Pen Mike Condon had something to do with it, too.

Still, I couldn’t be prouder of our guys. Or Sid.

Talk about a leader.

Puckpourri

Bonino’s goal was his 16th of the season and seventh in his past nine games. “Bones” scored a career-high 22 for Anaheim in 2013-14.

The Penguins outshot the Senators 35-30. Ottawa won 65 percent of the faceoffs and outhit the locals, 30-21. Matt Murray made 29 saves for the black and gold.

Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was suspended three games by the NHL for his hit on Jake Guentzel. Archibald was summoned from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to replace Guentzel. He played just over nine minutes against the Senators.

Bryan Rust accompanied the team on the road trip. His return appears imminent.