Penguins 6, Senators 5, SO

OTTAWA - Jarkko Ruutu scored on Pittsburgh's fifth shootout attempt to give the Penguins a 6-5 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Ruutu put a backhander through Martin Gerber's pads for the winner after Ottawa's Jason Spezza and Pittsburgh's Erik Christensen each converted their team's first shootout opportunity.

Dany Sabourin denied Antoine Vermette, Dany Heatley, Mike Fisher and Dean McAmmond for the win after stopping 29 shots in regulation. Sabourin entered midway through the first period.

Sergei Gonchar scored his seventh goal 7:07 into the third as Pittsburgh overcame a two-goal deficit for the second time in the game to tie it at 5-5.

Spezza scored twice and assisted on Heatley's power-play goal 16:15 into the second, which gave Ottawa its second lead of the game at 4-3.

Christoph Schubert put the Senators up 5-3 when he got credit for his second goal of the season 1:04 into the third.

The Penguins, who erased an early 2-0 deficit with goals by Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Malone 18 seconds apart late in the first, mounted their second comeback as Malone scored his second of the game - his sixth of the season - on a power play at 5:56 to cut the lead to 5-4.

Colby Armstrong got his second assist of the game when he set up Gonchar to draw Pittsburgh even for the second time

Spezza hit a post later in the period and was stopped by Sabourin on a 2-on-1 in overtime.

Malkin hit the outside of the left post moments after Spezza's chance in overtime.

Daniel Alfredsson had three assists and Chris Phillips also scored for Ottawa, which lost 4-2 in Buffalo on Wednesday.

The Senators, who haven't lost consecutive regular-season games in regulation since Dec. 19-21, 2006, have dropped four of six (2-0-3-1) after getting off to an NHL-record 13-1-0 start.

Gerber made 20 saves.

Sabourin replaced Marc-Andre Fleury after Phillips' power-play goal gave Ottawa a 2-0 lead at 10:55 of the first.

Malkin created his own breakaway to cut the lead to 2-1, racing down the ice from the Penguins' zone to beat Gerber with a quick shot for his ninth goal at 18:07.

Malkin's goal hadn't even been announced when Malone tied it with his fifth goal at 18:25 on a shot from the slot after taking a setup pass from Sidney Crosby, who saw a 19-game point streak end one night earlier.

Tyler Kennedy scored the Penguins' third straight goal eight minutes into the second to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead.

Spezza, who scored his second goal of the season 4:56 in, got his second goal of the game - his third of the season - 14:20 into the second to tie it at 3-3.

Heatley restored the Senators' lead at 16:15 with his 11th goal as he beat Sabourin from the slot on a fine setup by Spezza.

Notes: Penguins RW Mark Recchi was a healthy scratch for the third time in four games, including Wednesday's 2-1 loss to New Jersey. Veteran D Darryl Sydor didn't dress for a fourth straight game ... Fleury stopped two of four shots.... Recchi and John Cullen set the Penguins' record for fastest two goals on Feb. 16, 1990, when they scored six seconds apart in a 3-3 tie at Winnipeg. Paul Coffey and Troy Loney matched that mark six days later in a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders ... Christensen had his shootout attempt waved off initially by referee Stephane Auger. That call was reversed as a video review clearly showed that Gerber was unable to keep the puck from crossing the line with his right pad ... The Senators next face the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday at Scotiabank Place (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1200). About 150 tickets remain for the game.