Phil Kessel scores, Penguins shut out Senators in Game 2

PITTSBURGH -- Phil Kessel needed one shot Monday.
Kessel scored on his only shot on goal with 6:55 left in the third period to help the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 1-0 win against the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at PPG Paints Arena.
After receiving a pass from Evgeni Malkin, Kessel shot off Jean-Gabriel Pageau, collected the puck and shot past Craig Anderson's left pad. Kessel's goal ended his three-game scoring drought.

"We had a lot of chances," Kessel said. "Obviously, it's an emotional game. There are ups and downs. We found a way."
WATCH: [All Senators vs. Penguins highlights | RELATED: Complete Ottawa vs. Pittsburgh series coverage\]
At one point, television cameras caught Kessel yelling on the bench. Following the game, Kessel said he couldn't remember what he said.
"To be honest, I think I yelled more than once tonight," Kessel said.
The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1 with Game 3 at Ottawa on Wednesday.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves for his second shutout in his past three starts. He has allowed two goals during that span.

Anderson made 28 saves for the Senators.
Pittsburgh outshot Ottawa 12-6 in the second period and had the first eight shots of the third.
"They've got some really good players that turned it on, and they were hard to manage," Senators coach Guy Boucher said. "I thought we didn't manage the puck well on our breakouts at all. We gave the puck away a lot. We threw the puck away, and it created some momentum in our zone for the opponent.
"I think, when you look at the two games, we played five good periods out of six, and the third period cost us the game tonight."
The Senators' first shot of the third period came on a backhand from forward Zack Smith with 4:54 left. Their previous shot came with 3:47 remaining in the second period.
"Wait," Fleury said when asked about what he did between Senators shots. "I just tried to skate to the corners. Stretch out. … I just tried to stay loose. I tried to talk to the guys when they came by and tried to keep my head into it. I always expected [Ottawa] to come with a push at the end, especially after the goal there."

Penguins right wing Bryan Rust and defenseman Justin Schultz each left during the first half of the first period with apparent injuries.
Rust left after absorbing a hit from Dion Phaneuf in the middle of the offensive zone at 4:58. Schultz attempted to bump Mike Hoffman off the puck behind the Penguins net and slid into the end boards at 9:30 before immediately leaving to the locker room.
The Penguins played the rest of the game with 11 forwards and five defensemen.
Pittsburgh forward Patric Hornqvist did not play because of an undisclosed injury after participating in line rushes during warmups. He missed practice Sunday and Pittsburgh's optional morning skate Monday before coach Mike Sullivan labeled him a game-time decision.
Sullivan did not provide updates on Hornqvist, Rust or Schultz following the game.
Forward Carl Hagelin, who was also a game-time decision, returned after missing the previous two games because of a lower-body injury.

Goal of the game

Kessel's goal was the latest game-winner he had ever scored in 60 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Save of the game

Scott Wilson nearly gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with 37.2 seconds left in the second period when a puck slipped to him in front of the Ottawa crease. He caught it and shot on Anderson, who made the save and covered the puck before Sidney Crosby poked at it.

Highlight of the game

Crosby won a faceoff and immediately passed to Jake Guentzel drifting toward the net. All alone in front, Guentzel lifted a shot over the Senators goal and into the netting with 7:58 remaining in the second period.

Unsung performance of the game

Wilson had a game-high 10 hits, including four on one shift.

They said it

"I thought it was a pretty solid effort start to finish. We have to play a patient game. We have to make sure we take what's given out there." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan

"I thought our game was just solid. … You don't let the fact that it's not going in change the way you play. I think we did a good job of that tonight." -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby
"We couldn't really get the puck out with control. They made it tough on us." -- Senators captain Erik Karlsson

Need to know

Ottawa was shut out for the first time since a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24 (a stretch of 36 games). Senators forward Viktor Stalberg missed a second consecutive game because of an undisclosed injury. … Penguins forward Conor Sheary did not take part in line rushes during pregame warmups, but played in Hornqvist's spot on the third line. After Rust left in the first period, Sheary was moved to the first line.

What's next

Game 3 of Eastern Conference Final at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports)