Schedule and 2008 Results
Regular Season Records: Pittsburgh 47-27-8=102pts, Ottawa 43-31-8=94pts
Game 1 on Wednesday, 09 April: Ottawa loses at Pittsburgh, 4-goals-nil
Game 2 on Friday, 11 April: Ottawa loses at Pittsburgh, 5-goals-3
Game 3 on Monday, 14 April: Pittsburgh wins at Ottawa, 4-goals-1
Game 4 on Wednesday, 16 April: Pittsburgh wins at Ottawa, 3-goals-1

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 4: The Pittsburgh Penguins visited and defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-games-1, thereby sweeping Ottawa 4-games-nil in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1024. The sweep was the fifth best-of-7 NHL playoff series sweep achieved by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and their first since series 615, in which they had swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1992 NHL Finals. The sweep was the third best-of-7 NHL playoff series sweep suffered by the Ottawa Senators, and their first since series 824, in which they were swept by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2001 NHL Preliminary round. The Ottawa Senators scored two goals on home ice in series 1024 - the lowest best-of-7 NHL playoff series home-ice goal total since series 959, in which the Rangers scored a total of twice in New York en route to suffering a four-game sweep by the New Jersey Devils in their 2006 NHL Preliminary-round series. Series 1024 is the 21st best-of-7 NHL Preliminary-round playoff series, the 98th best-of-7 NHL series (all rounds), and the 173rd best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series (all rounds) to end 4-games-nil.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1024 in Ottawa for Games 3-4, the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the host Ottawa Senators 4-goals-1 in Game 3, thereby taking a 3-games-nil series 1024 lead. Ottawa held a lead in Game 3 for four minutes 28 seconds - it was the first (and, through three games, only) lead for the Senators in series 1024. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 6-1 with an active five-series winning streak, and a Game 4 record of 4-3 (Pittsburgh lost series 295 to the New York Islanders in the 1975 NHL Quarterfinals, after having led 3-games-nil). The Ottawa Senators have a 0-3 series record and a 1-2 Game 4 record upon trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1024 in Ottawa for Games 3-4, the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the host Ottawa Senators 4-goals-1 in Game 3, thereby taking a 3-games-nil series 1024 lead. Ottawa held a lead in Game 3 for four minutes 28 seconds - it was the first (and, through three games, only) lead for the Senators in series 1024. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 6-1 with an active five-series winning streak, and a Game 4 record of 4-3 (Pittsburgh lost series 295 to the New York Islanders in the 1975 NHL Quarterfinals, after having led 3-games-nil). The Ottawa Senators have a 0-3 series record and a 1-2 Game 4 record upon trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil.

After Game 2: The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted and once again defeated the Ottawa Senators, this time 5-goals-3, to take a 2-games-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1024. When leading a best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 7-2 and a Game 3 record of 7-2; when trailing 2-games-nil, the Ottawa Senators have a perfect series record of 0-6 and a Game 3 mark of 3-3. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2007, inclusive, when a team such as Pittsburgh takes a 2-games-nil lead on home ice and wins those two games by six or more total goals, its series record is 69-4 (.945). Ottawa might take collective heart in the fact that, of those four losses in that situation, three occurred in the NHL Preliminary round.

After Game 1: The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted and defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-goals-nil to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1024. When leading a best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a series record of 9-5 and a Game 2 record of 9-5; when trailing 1-game-nil, the Ottawa Senators have a series record of 2-7 and a Game 2 mark of 3-6. Twice before has Ottawa lost by shutout on the road in Game 1 of a best-of-7 playoff series: In series 800, Ottawa did so and went on to lose their 2000 NHL Preliminary-round series in six games to the Toronto Maple Leafs; in series 849, Ottawa also did so but went on to win their 2002 NHL Preliminary-round series in five games to the Philadelphia Flyers. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2007, teams such as the Pittsburgh Penguins which win Game 1 at home by shutout have a 38-11 (.776) series record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2007-08 regular season, Pittsburgh finished eight points ahead of Ottawa. From 1939 through the 2007 NHL Finals, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by eight regular-season points, they have posted a 12-6 (.667) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. Best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1024 is the 19th best-of-7 playoff series for Ottawa, and the 34th for Pittsburgh. In best-of-7 playoff series, Ottawa has an 8-10 series record, a 5-5 Prelim-round series record, and a 9-9 Game 1 record, while Pittsburgh has an 18-15 series record, a 9-4 Prelim-round record, and a 14-19 Game 1 record. Series 1024 is the second best-of-7 meeting between Ottawa and Pittsburgh; in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 993, Ottawa defeated Pittsburgh in the 2007 NHL Preliminary (Conference Quarterfinals) round.