A New “Hat Trick” Is Born

The defending Stanley Cup Champions took on the Ottawa Senators in Game Two of the opening series last night at Mellon Arena. Ottawa proved to be a force to be reckoned with after their 5-4 win in Game One, but in true Pittsburgh fashion, the Pens would not go down without a fight.

Ottawa scored on the first shot of the game 18 seconds into the game leaving fans to wonder if Marc-Andre Fleury would really bounce back from the previous night’s loss as he is known to do. But that would be the only time the Senators would go on the board. A little over mid-way through the first period, Captain Sidney Crosby took his usual place battling in front of the net and put the puck behind Sens goalie Brian Elliot. Crosby was not done there.

Ottawa almost took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period on a shot from Anton Volchenkov. Fleury got a small piece of it before it fluttered behind him quickly approaching the open goal line. Crosby dove behind Fleury to swat the puck away, a small “Thank You” muttered from Fleury.

The game would remain tied the rest of the second and until there was a little less than 5 minutes remaining in the game. Crosby again had the puck weaving in and out of the reach of Jason Spezza. With no clear shot at the net Crosby made a pass from his knees to Kris Letang who’s mean shot sailed past Elliot making it 2-1 Pens.

There’s the goal hat trick, the Gordie Howe hat trick (a goal, an assist, and a fight) but what do you call a goal, an assist, and a save hat trick? Pens even up the series and will head to Ottawa for Game 3 Sunday at 6:30PM ET on Versus.

NOTE: Penguin’s defenseman Jordan Leopold was suffered from a high “clean” hit from Ottawa’s Andy Sutton. Leopold left the game and did not return.