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NHL Game Summary - Ottawa Vs. Pittsburgh

POSTED: 5:51 pm EDT October 5, 2008

(Sports Network) - Danny Heatley continued his dominance against the Penguins as he scored twice to help Ottawa split a season-opening series in Europe against Pittsburgh with a 3-1 win at The Globe Arena.

Alex Auld made 30 saves and was less than one second away from a shutout while Antoine Vermette scored the other goal for the Senators, who bounced back from Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss against Pittsburgh.

In 23 career games against the Penguins, Heatley has 19 goals and seven assists. He also had a goal in Saturday's contest.

Marc-Andre Fleury was charged with all three goals on 27 shots while Alex Goligoski scored for the Penguins, who got a pair of goals from Tyler Kennedy, including the game-winner in overtime, on Saturday.

The Senators took the lead in the second period courtesy of the power play. Daniel Alfredsson had the puck along the left circle and fired it down to Jason Spezza at the left side of the net. Spezza tried to sweep it in and Fleury made the save, but the puck squirted to the right side and Heatley banged it in on his second attempt for a 1-0 lead with 6:53 left in the frame.

Auld was busy in the second period as he had to make 15 saves to keep the Penguins off the board.

Ottawa gave itself some breathing room with another power play goal. With Mark Eaton in the box for holding, Alfredsson skated down the left side and, as soon as he gained the zone, sent a saucer pass to Heatley who one-timed it from the slot past Fleury with 7:43 left in the game.

Vermette sealed the win as he was sprung on a breakaway and after flubbing his initial shot, he was able to push the puck into the net for a 3-0 lead with 4:10 to play.

Auld was just moments away from a shutout, but Goligoski's one-timer from Sidney Crosby snuck between the goaltender's pads with just 0.7 left in the game.

The first period was a scoreless affair as Pittsburgh had eight shots on net and Ottawa had nine shots. Each team also had two power play opportunities in the frame.

Game Notes:

The Senators next play on Saturday when they will host the Red Wings...The Penguins host New Jersey next Saturday...Ottawa took three of four last season against Pittsburgh, but were swept by the Pens in the opening round of the playoffs...Ottawa finished the game 2-for-4 on the power play while Pittsburgh went 1-for-7.

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Marek Zidlicky tallied the game's lone goal and Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, as Minnesota slipped past Boston, 1-0, at TD Banknorth Garden. Backstrom recorded his second consecutive blanking for the Wild, who have won three of four. The Finnish-born netminder shut down Colorado, 2-0, on Sunday in Denver. Former Wild netminder Manny Fernandez stopped 23 shots for the Bruins, who have dropped two in a row after a 10-game win streak.


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