PITTSBURGH -- Even as numbers on a roster, the Pittsburgh Penguins power play appears intimidating. At times on the ice, it looks borderline unfair. Start with two NHL MVPs in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Add a future Hall of Famer like Jarome Iginla and a Norris Trophy finalist in defenceman Kris Letang. Throw in a grinder to do the dirty work in Chris Kunitz and the Penguins have a unit thats an electric mix of skill, speed and grit. Give them 2 minutes to work and they can quickly turn a game into a mismatch. Its a lesson the Ottawa Senators painfully learned during a 4-1 loss to the Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday. Despite dictating play at even strength for long stretches, the Senators were practically blown out on the scoreboard after the Penguins went 2 for 3 on the power play and even added a shorthanded goal to seal it in the third period. Pittsburgh made it look easy against the NHLs best penalty killing team. The Senators stopped 88 per cent of the power plays they faced during the regular season, easily tops in the league. All power plays, however, are not created equal. And if the Senators want to even the series in Game 2 on Friday night, they have to either stay out of the penalty box entirely or find a way to stop a unit thats scoring 38 per cent of the time in the playoffs when it goes a man up. The key to Pittsburghs success doesnt rely on Xs and Os as much as remarkable talent that few -- if any -- teams can match. An eye-popping 37 per cent of Penguins power plays in the playoffs have ended with an opponent skating slowly out of the penalty box after the red light behind their goal flicks on. "They have basically five All-Stars on the first (power play) and its tough to chase them and get hits on them when theyre moving the puck properly," Ottawa defenceman Marc Methot said. "Weve got to be better." It might already be too late. The Senators have won just two playoff series in franchise history after dropping the first game, and none since 2003 and have never rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the post-season. Yet Ottawa remains upbeat, pointing to the way it was able to tilt the ice at even strength, peppering Pittsburgh goaltender Tomas Vokoun with 36 shots. A bounce here, a bounce there and a little more production on the power play -- where the Senators were 0 for 6 in the opener -- and Ottawa believes it can head home with things all tied up. "Were a confident group in here," Methot said. "We know we can hang in there with them." And Methot and his teammates insist it wont take a perfect game, just a smarter one. While three penalties is hardly a ton, the Penguins proved in Game 1 that even a single shift with the advantage is enough to take firm control of things. "If we break even on the special teams battle it gives us a good chance to win," Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said. After dealing with some jitters on Tuesday while making its first appearance in the second round of the post-season since making the Stanley Cup finals in 2007, Ottawa believes it has found its legs. The Senators will need them more than ever with burly defenceman Eric Gryba likely out with an upper body injury sustained after a collision with Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik Grybas job was to try and clear space in front of Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson. Without him there will be a little more room for Crosby and company to work. Its a group that is finally starting to get comfortable with each other. Pittsburgh picked up Iginla, forwards Jussi Jokinen and Brenden Morrow and defenceman Doug Murray at the trade deadline to gear up for a Cup run. Yet injuries to Crosby, Malkin, Orpik and defenceman Paul Martin late in the regular season made it difficult for coach Dan Bylsma to get a look at what he really had on his hands. In a way, Bylsma still doesnt know. He continues to tinker with lineups during games, trying to search for the right mix. The Penguins found enough in the first round to dispatch the New York Islanders in six sometimes-frantic games. They may have taken the next step in Game 1, playing more soundly defensively and more patiently offensively in perhaps their most balanced game of the playoffs. Take Pittsburghs third goal of the night, a power play score by Kunitz. Letang found himself working in the left circle and instead of moving to his left instead turned to his right and slipped a pass to Iginla. Kunitz pounced on the rebound and the Penguins had things well in hand. It started with a move Letang doesnt typically make and ended with Pittsburghs ninth power-play goal in seven playoff contests. While the goal was timely, the message it sent, however, was just as important. "When you get that power play ultimately you do want to score," said Iginla, who has two goals and eight assists in the post-season. "But a big part of our focus is to just go out there and get some momentum, get some shots, put some pressure on them." Its working vs. the Senators. Nike Shoes Black Friday 2019 .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Cheap Nike Shoes Black Friday . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. http://www.nikeshoesblackfriday.com/ . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Nike Shoes Black Friday China . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Fake Nike Shoes Black Friday . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. CHICAGO -- Best in the majors during the regular season, the Chicago Cubs are one win from reaching the NL Championship Series for the second straight year.Travis Wood took over when starter Kyle Hendricks got hurt and became the first relief pitcher since 1924 to hit a postseason home run , helping the Cubs beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 Saturday night for 2-0 NL Division Series lead.Madison Bumgarner, coming off a four-hit shutout of the New York Mets in the NL wild card game, tries to save the Giants season when the series resumes Monday in San Francisco.Cubs manager Joe Maddon remains wary of the Giants, World Series champions in 2010, 12 and `14.You watch how they react to different moments, Maddon said . Theyre never panicked. Theyre never concerned. ... I really believe our guys will come ready to play knowing that they are also. Thats just a given.The Cubs, who start reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, are now one win from a matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals. Swept by the New York Mets in last years NLCS, Chicago led the big leagues with 103 wins during the regular season and is hoping for its first World Series title since 1908.Ben Zobrist hit a run-scoring single off former Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija in the first, and Hendricks added a two-run, bloop single in a three-run second.The Cubs were leading 4-2 in the fourth when Hendricks left the game after with a bruised right forearm after being hit by Angel Pagans line drive.Wood struck out Conor Gillaspie to strand Pagan, then sent a one-out offering from George Kontos halfway up the left-field bleachers in the bottom half. The only other reliever to homer in the postseason was the New York Giants Rosy Ryan in Game 3 of the 1924 World Series.Given a curtain call by a screaming crowd of 42,392, Wood joined Rick Sutcliffe (1984) and Kerry Wood (2003) as the only Cubs pitchers to go deep in the postseason. Travis Wood has nine regular-season homers in his big league career.Wood pitched a hitless fifth and was credited with the win. Four moree relievers completed Chicagos second straight six-hitter, with Aroldis Chapman throwing 12 of 16 pitches at 100 mph and up for his second consecutive save.ddddddddddddHendricks, the major league ERA leader, gave up two runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings.We picked him up tonight, having his injury and stuff and thats what we have done all year long, Wood said. We pull on each other and end up backing each other up.Samardzijas first career playoff start was a short one. The right-hander, who spent his first 61/2 seasons with the Cubs, was pinch hit for in the third after allowing four runs and six hits.Down 4-0, San Francisco scored two in the third when Gregor Blanco doubled in a run and scored on Brandon Belt `s sacrifice fly.Just cant put your team in that much of a hole early in the game, especially against a good staff like they have over there, Samardzija said. Like to have that one back, for sure, that ones on me.HENDRICKS UPDATEHendricks said his arm feels pretty good right now and he hopes to be ready in a few days after X-rays showed no structural damage.He said he felt pain after a few warmup pitches and exited after a discussion with Maddon.He told me if theres anything at all, he didnt want me in there, Hendricks said.SEENsActor and comedian Bill Murray was back cheering on the Cubs for the second night in a row. But no, he wasnt wearing an I Aint Afraid of No Goat shirt as he did on Friday.Former Cubs closer Lee Smith threw out the ceremonial first pitch , and Chicago native and former WWE star CM Punk delivered the Play Ball! call before the game.Actor Jeff Garlin sang Take Me Out To The Ball Game during the seventh-inning stretch.UP NEXTGiants: Bumgarner has pitched 23 consecutive postseason innings and is 8-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 13 postseason starts and 15 appearances.Cubs: Arrieta won 18 games but had a 4.60 ERA in five starts last month. He gave up seven runs in a loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 28. ' ' '