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Kunitz’s double-OT goal sends Penguins back to Stanley Cup

8 years ago in Sports

Pittsburgh Penguins fans cheer and hoist an inflatable toy Stanley Cup as thier team leads the Ottawa Senators during the third period of Game 5 in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals, Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Pittsburgh. The Penguins won 7-0 and now lead the best-of-seven series 3 games to 2. Photo: Associated Press/Gene J. Puskar

WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins are heading back to the Stanley Cup Final.

Chris Kunitz beat Craig Anderson 5:09 into the second overtime to give the defending champions a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final Thursday night.

Kunitz scored twice, his first two of the playoffs. Justin Schultz added the other in his return from an upper-body injury, and Matt Murray stopped 28 shots on his 23rd birthday.

The Penguins are trying to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1998 to win back-to-back titles. They will host Western Conference champion Nashville in Game 1 on Monday night.

Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel scored for Ottawa. The Senators rallied twice to tie it.

Craig Anderson made 39 saves, but couldn’t get a handle on Kunitz’s shot from just outside the left circle. The Senators are 0-6 in Game 7s in franchise history.

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