Chris Kunitz nets game-winner in double overtime to send Penguins to Stanley Cup finals
The Pittsburgh Penguins are now four wins away from repeating as the Stanley Cup champions. Chris Kunitz's goal in double overtime clinched Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night, as the Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2.
The Penguins got out in front of the Senators near the midway point in the second period. Streaking down the ice on a breakaway, Kunitz and Connor Sheary went back and forth with the puck. Coming down the slot, Kunitz collected Sheary's pass and beat Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson with a wrist shot at 9:55. The goal was Kunitz's first since February 16.
Pittsburgh's lead evaporated 20 seconds later. Mark Stone evened the game for visitors from Ottawa at 1-1 after going top shelf.
Justin Schultz gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead in the third. With the Penguins on the power play, Schultz took Phil Kessel's feed and banked a blast off the right pipe and into the back of the net at 11:44. Once again, though, Pittsburgh's lead was short-lived. Less than three minutes later, it was Ryan Dzingel's turn to get the better of Pittsburgh netminder Matt Murray and draw the score even.
Headed into the decisive game between the Senators and Penguins, 40 Game 7s in NHL history had reached overtime. The road team had won 20 of those. The home team, the other 20. Thursday night, the 41st overtime Game 7, ended with a slap shot from Kunitz finding the back of the net for the Penguins 5:09 into the second overtime.
Murray stopped 27 of 29 shots faced to earn the victory and help Pittsburgh punch its ticket to the Stanley Cup finals, where the Penguins will face the Nashville Predators. Anderson made 39 saves in Ottawa's season-ending loss.
This article originally appeared on 
