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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, April 25, 2010

Penguins, Sharks win series



Associated Press

OTTAWA — Even with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin held in check, the Pittsburgh Penguins scored four unanswered goals and moved into the second round of the playoffs with a huge comeback win.

Pascal Dupuis scored 9:56 into overtime for Pittsburgh, which erased a three-goal deficit and eliminated the Ottawa Senators from the playoffs with a 4-3 victory in Game 6 last night.

The Senators led 3-0 in the second period and appeared to go up 4-1 in the frame, but lost a goal to video replay when it was determined the puck crossed the line after the net was knocked off its moorings.

Matt Cooke scored his second of the game with 7:36 left in regulation to tie it at 3. Bill Guerin had a power-play goal earlier in the third, a period in which Pittsburgh held an 18-4 shots advantage.

With Crosby held off the score sheet and Malkin limited to one assist, the Penguins got their offense from the rest of the lineup.

"It says a lot," said Crosby, who recorded 14 points through the first five games. "We're going to do our best to create things, but there are going to be nights where it's tougher than others."

SHARKS 5, AVALANCHE 2

DENVER — The San Jose Sharks took the first step toward shedding their label of postseason underachievers.

Joe Pavelski scored two goals, including the tiebreaking tally midway through the third period, to lift the Sharks to a series-clinching victory over Colorado last night in Game 6.

"We talked about it all year that this was a new team," Sharks captain Rob Blake said. "The organization might have lost in the past, but this team hasn't. That was put behind us early and we moved on."

The top-seeded Sharks are moving on again, to the Western Conference semifinals where they'll face an undetermined opponent.

BLACKHAWKS 5, PREDATORS 4

CHICAGO — Patrick Kane's short-handed goal tied the game with 13.6 seconds left in regulation and Marian Hossa came out of the penalty box to score the winner 4:07 into overtime as Chicago took a 3-2 lead in the first-round series.

Chicago can advance in the Western Conference playoffs with a win at Nashville tomorrow night.

The Blackhawks blew a 3-1 lead, and the Predators went ahead 4-3 with two third-period goals by Martin Erat. With Nashville protecting its lead late and on a major power play, Kane backhanded in a rebound off a shot by Jonathan Toews to tie it with his third goal of the series.

"Sometimes you catch a break," Kane said. "Five-on-five with the goalie pulled you're trying to do everything you can to score a goal."

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