Pinto scores twice as Senators pounce on Penguins early in chippy 5-0 win
Pinto scores twice as Senators pounce on Penguins early in chippy 5-0 win
Ottawa Senators’ Shane Pinto, right, celebrates his first of two goals during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Noel Acciari (55) recoils after get a high stick in the chin from Ottawa Senators’ Drake Batherson (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stützle (18) returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) celebrates after his goal with Claude Giroux (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby flips the puck to a linesman in preparation for a face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ P.O Joseph (73) works to gain control of the puck with Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) defending in front of goalie Leevi Merilainen during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Bryan Rust (17) works to shoot in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) blocks a shot by Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Cody Glass (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A shot by Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (not shown) gets past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) and Matt Grzelcyk (24) for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Shane Pinto, right, celebrates his first of two goals during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Shane Pinto, right, celebrates his first of two goals during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Noel Acciari (55) recoils after get a high stick in the chin from Ottawa Senators’ Drake Batherson (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Noel Acciari (55) recoils after get a high stick in the chin from Ottawa Senators’ Drake Batherson (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stützle (18) returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stützle (18) returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) celebrates after his goal with Claude Giroux (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) celebrates after his goal with Claude Giroux (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby flips the puck to a linesman in preparation for a face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby flips the puck to a linesman in preparation for a face off during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ottawa Senators in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ P.O Joseph (73) works to gain control of the puck with Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) defending in front of goalie Leevi Merilainen during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ P.O Joseph (73) works to gain control of the puck with Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (43) defending in front of goalie Leevi Merilainen during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Bryan Rust (17) works to shoot in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Bryan Rust (17) works to shoot in front of Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) blocks a shot by Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) blocks a shot by Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Cody Glass (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ottawa Senators goaltender Leevi Merilainen (1) blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Cody Glass (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A shot by Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (not shown) gets past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) and Matt Grzelcyk (24) for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A shot by Ottawa Senators’ Tyler Kleven (not shown) gets past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) and Matt Grzelcyk (24) for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Shane Pinto scored two special teams goals in the first period, Leevi Merilainen stopped 30 shots and the Ottawa Senators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-0 on Saturday.
Pinto beat Alex Nedeljokvic on the power play just over five minutes into the game then added a short-handed goal in the waning moments of the opening period as the Senators won for the second time in their last eight games.
Tyler Kleven, Drake Batherson and Tim Stutzle also scored for the Senators. Claude Giroux added three assists as Ottawa won its sixth straight over Pittsburgh.
Nedeljokvic was pulled midway through the second period after stopping just 12 of the 17 shots he faced. Kleven’s goal 3:16 into the game on a blast from the point marked the 10th time this season that the Penguins have allowed a score on an opponent’s initial shot.
Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan challenged the goal, claiming Stutzle had interfered with Nedeljokvic. The call stood upon review and Pinto doubled Ottawa’s lead on the ensuing power play with a one-timer from the slot.
Pinto then scored just the second short-handed goal allowed by the Penguins this season when he broke in 2-on-1 with Thomas Chabot and fired a wrist shot by Nedeljokovic to make it 3-0.
The Penguins never recovered while playing a third consecutive game without center Evgeni Malkin, who is dealing with an upper-body injury.
Takeaways
Senators: Ottawa has struggled over the last two weeks but found a way to get right while facing a team it has dominated lately as Merilainen picked up his first career shutout.
Penguins: Two days after a rousing win over Connor McDavid and Edmonton, Pittsburgh followed it up with a clunker.
Key moment
Pinto’s short-handed tally with 55 seconds to go in the first sent a collective groan through a near-sellout crowd who showed up to snag Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads.
Key stat
15 — the number of combined penalties during a testy first period.
Up next
Senators host Dallas on Sunday, and the Penguins host Tampa Bay.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl