Another game, another defensive showdown.
And this time, it's the Pittsburgh Penguins who walk away happy.
Two days after the Ottawa Senators' stingy "D" shut down their high-flying offense and left Sidney Crosby and Co. in an unexpectedly early Eastern Conference finals hole, the defending Stanley Cup champions spoiled a big night for Craig Anderson, Erik Karlsson and the rest of Guy Boucher's scrappy underdogs thanks to a late third-period score from Phil Kessel and the second shutout in Marc-Andre Fleury's last three starts.
Claiming a 1-0 win to even the series at a game apiece, the Pens were hardly dominant in Monday's matchup, struggling to find open windows against Ottawa's defense, falling victim to a handful of highlight-reel Anderson saves and showcasing their frustration after scoreless droughts were made worse by physical run-ins with the Sens.
But Kessel stepped up exactly when Pittsburgh needed him, scoring 13:05 into the third period to get the Pens on the board. And with Ottawa's defensively geared mentality once again generating little offense outside of some push from Karlsson, Fleury had little trouble preserving the late lead to turn the Sens' low-scoring efforts against the Game 2 visitors.
As the series heads to Ottawa, neither team has taken a full-fledged leap ahead of the other. Logic says the Pens' offensive ability, perhaps hindered once again Monday by another wave of injuries, will prevail over the course of several games to come, especially if the Sens can't match their aggressive hits and defensive highlights, like Karlsson's upper-body shot block in front of the net, with goals.
But Boucher's club is also doing its job when it comes to aggravating the Pens offense (or at least Evgeni Malkin) -- enough to keep the defending title winners on alert. So, yes, Pittsburgh was the winner Monday night, but considering the circumstances, namely the Sens' unlikely run to the conference finals, this showdown is bound to drag out quite a bit longer.