MURAL THIS

PENGUINS 4

SENATORS 1

A lot was made about the mural plastered outside the visitors' locker room in Ottawa, one which illustrates the Senators escorting the Penguins out of the 2006-07 playoffs. Sure, it was posted before the Senators knew they were playing the flightless birds in round one. But universally, it was recognized as a pretty classless act, if for no other reason than the non-attempt to cover it up as a courtesy to their first-round opponent.

So the mural stayed, much to the chagrin of Penguin Nation. It was extra motivation for a team that already had plenty of reasons to despise their opponent. Was that the little mental boost that the Penguins needed in a tough road playoff game? We'll never know, but there's one thing we can say with a great deal of certainty: the Ottawa Senators are teetering on the cliff of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Sens got Daniel Alfredsson back (to a standing ovation), which was definitely a motivational tool. The crowd was behind the team, the house was a-rockin', and the Penguins (especially Marc-Andre Fleury, who's quietly having a great playoff run) withstood just about everything Ottawa threw at them.

After a scoreless first period, Ottawa drew first blood with a Nick Foligno goal 1:11 into the second. The Pens answered about five minutes later, as Maxime "Superstar" Talbot scored to tie everything up at one. As the clock ticked to zero, there would be just 20 minutes left to decide this one. But the Penguins needed just 12 seconds to officially put this out of reach, as Sidney Crosby put one by Martin Gerber for what would be the deciding goal. A little more than a minute later, Jordan Staal tacked on the Penguins' third goal of the evening, and at 11:05, the self-destructing Senators allowed goal number four, Marian Hossa's first playoff goal as a Penguin. 4-1, Pens win, Pens win. See ya Wednesday night; don't forget to bring your brooms to Ottawa.

Notes:

--Gary Roberts did not play due to a groin injury, and was spotted in a hockey celebrity-filled luxury box on his Blackberry.

--Trib wrapup and nice photo gallery here

--Ottawa Sun recap here

--The Pens outshot the Sens, 38-34.

--Marian Hossa was FSN's Player of the Game for his one goal, two assist performance.

--The Russian Syklone Line combined for one point, a Ryan Malone assist.

--When the Penguins grab a 3-0 series lead, they are 6-1. They blew a 3-0 lead in 1975 against the Islanders, one of only two times that such a comeback has ever happened.

--The PG's excellent Empty Netters wondered if this Pirate ad was worthy of 1/4 of the screen. The answer is an emphatic NO.

--Game Four goes down Wednesday night at Ottawa. The puck drops at 7, the Senators drop a few hours later.