Sens drop Pens in season finale
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Turris and Jason Spezza both scored in the shootout, as the Ottawa Senators concluded the regular season with a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Turris added one of Ottawa's two power-play goals in regulation.
Robin Lehner made 26 saves before stopping both Pittsburgh attempts in the tiebreaker.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The Senators (37-31-14) won a season-high fifth straight game, but will miss the playoffs for the first time in three years.
"I thought our team played with enough character, work ethic and structure to find a way to win their last five games," said Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean.
Jussi Jokinen and Lee Stempniak supplied the goals for the Penguins, while Jeff Zatkoff stopped 31 shots.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Pittsburgh (51-24-7) rested captain Sidney Crosby, who will capture his second Art Ross Trophy after leading the league with 104 points.
The Metropolitan Division champs will begin their first-round matchup against Columbus on Wednesday.
"Our success will be measured in playoff wins," said Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The teams traded power-play goals in the first period.
Jokinen handled a drop pass from Chris Kunitz and tried to hit James Neal with a centering pass. The puck wound up deflecting off Ottawa defenseman Eric Gryba's skate and through the pads of Lehner with 5:14 remaining.
Turris collected Erik Karlsson's cross-ice pass and fired a slap shot from the left circle behind Zatkoff, tying it with 1:22 left.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Pittsburgh grabbed its second lead at 5:16 of the second period, as Stempniak tipped Beau Bennett's shot from the top of the left circle after a faceoff win.
The Senators erased the deficit by converting again with the man advantage. Zatkoff made a save on Patrick Wiercioch's deflected point shot and a left pad stop on Mark Stone's rebound chance from in tight. Stone, however, scored on a second whack at the puck with 2:46 remaining.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Crosby was also the NHL's scoring champion in 2006-07, his second year in the league ... Ottawa won for just the 11th time this season when allowing the first goal.