Senators get three of possible four points in weekend back-to-back games

The Ottawa Senators gave up an overtime power-play goal to Sidney Crosby Sunday as they fell 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. It was the fifth straight one-goal game for the Senators.

The Senators got superb goaltending from backup Anton Forsberg, who stopped 34 shots before giving up the game-winner on Crosby’s one-timer that beat him glove side.

The Senators had two chances to win the game as Shane Pinto and Jake Sanderson had breakaways, but both hit the post.

• “Forsie played great,” Senators forward Drake Batherson said in the media scrum following the game.

Batherson said the team lost momentum in the game and ran out of gas. The team had played Saturday night in Ottawa before travelling to Pittsburgh for Sunday’s game.

• “It’s a quick turnaround,” Batherson said. “We’ve had three or four of them this year. Give them credit, they played a solid game and it was a tie game right until the end. We’ll take the point for sure, especially this time of the year. Obviously, we would like to get the win, but a point’s a point.”

Saturday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Ottawa, the Senators hung on for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Drake Batherson, Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig scored for the Sens, and Linus Ullmark made 29 saves, including a couple of big ones in the final two minutes after the Jackets had pulled their goalie.

Sens vs. Leafs in playoffs? The Sens are listed as having a 99 per cent chance of making the playoffs. They are in the first wildcard spot with 84 points, seven ahead of Montreal with 77. The Canadiens, who hold the second wildcard spot, gained a point on the Sens by beating Florida Sunday afternoon.

• The Panthers’ loss vaulted the Toronto Maple Leafs into first place in the Atlantic Division. Should the Sens hold onto the first wildcard spot, they will play the Atlantic Division winner in the first round. 

Special night for Sanderson family: Against Columbus Saturday, Jake Sanderson’s goal against Columbus had special meaning. He scored on the anniversary of when his father, Geoff Sanderson, scored four goals to set a Blue Jackets record that still stands in a 6-4 win over Calgary on March 29, 2003.

• If you really want to go deep into Ottawa sports history on this one, all four of his goals were assisted by Andrew Cassels, one of the greatest players in Ottawa 67s history.

Third-period woes: In both weekend games, the ice was titled against the Sens. In a script that is becoming all too familiar, the Columbus Blue Jackets fought back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to score a goal, and then absolutely ambushed Senators goalie Linus Ullmark in the final three minutes. Ullmark made several key saves to preserve another too-close-for-comfort one-goal victory.

In Pittsburgh Sunday, the Sens were completely dominated by the non-contending Pittsburgh Penguins throughout the third period. A costly penalty at the end of regulation time gave Pittsburgh a four-on-three advantage in overtime.