Ferguson makes 48 saves, Senators hand Penguins 4th loss in row

PITTSBURGH --The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their fourth straight game when Dylan Ferguson made 48 saves in his first NHL start for the Ottawa Senators in a 2-1 win at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.

The loss dropped the Penguins (34-26-10) out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference combined with the Florida Panthers' 5-2 win at the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. They have been outscored 18-7 during the streak.
"Obviously, for whatever reason, the last couple of games, it's been a struggle to score," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "These guys care. They want to win. They're trying. I'm sure that's part of it. But we just have to find a way to control our emotions and keep grinding away."
Ferguson, who was recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Sunday, became the fourth goalie in NHL history to make 48 saves in his first career win.
"It's still sinking in, to be honest," Ferguson said. "My big focus tonight was [to] just go out there and be me, don't try to be anything I'm not [and] stay in the moment. I felt like I did that."

Drake Batherson broke a tie at 17:51 of the third period, tapping in a pass from Brady Tkachuk on a power play from atop the crease for the 2-1 final.
Thomas Chabot also scored for the Senators (34-31-5), who ended a five-game skid (0-4-1) and moved six points behind the Panthers for the second wild card from the East.
Rickard Rakell tied it 1-1 at 14:39 of the third by sneaking a shot between Ferguson and the right post from the slot off a centering pass by Evgeni Malkin from the right corner.
"The way we were playing, it felt like once we got one, there would be more to come, hopefully," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "Get a big one there. Unfortunately, they come right back and get one. It's tough. We fought hard."
Chabot put Ottawa ahead 1-0 at 16:46 of the first period. After receiving a pass from Claude Giroux in the high slot, Chabot drove past Malkin to the bottom of the right face-off circle and scored on a wrist shot blocker side.
The Senators were outshot 32-13 in the first two periods. Ferguson made 18 saves in the first, including two key saves during a power play after
Ridly Greig
was called for tripping at 5:33. He closed the five-hole when Rakell tipped a pass from Malkin from just outside the crease at 6:10 and then made a sliding save to his left on a Jake Guentzel one-timer from the right circle at 6:59.
"It's just a perfect ending for a guy like that," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "When he started his summer training, I would think that he didn't think he would be giving up one on that many shots in Pittsburgh at the end of the year. That just shows you, if you stay with it, you never know when your chance comes."

Tkachuk could have extended the Senators' lead on a breakaway after taking a stretch pass from Jake Sanderson but had a backhand turned away by Tristan Jarry at 7:37 of the second period.
"We have to bring it," said Jarry, who made 19 saves. "Obviously, we put a lot of pucks on net. I think, eventually, goals are going to go in. It's a good start. Obviously, it's a good 60 minutes for us. We played well. The puck just wasn't going in for us tonight."
NOTES:Ferguson was traded to Belleville from Toronto (AHL) for future considerations on Feb. 24, one day after he was loaned to Wichita of the ECHL. It was his second NHL game; he allowed one goal on two shots in relief Nov. 14, 2017, as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. … Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson did not play and is week to week after sustaining a lower-body injury Saturday. Taylor Fedun played in his place and had two shots on goal and one blocked shot in 10:34 of ice time after being recalled on an emergency basis from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL on Monday. It was his first NHL game since Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round on Sept. 2, 2020, as a member of the Dallas Stars.