Peter Diana, Post-Gazette photos The Penguins' Mario Lemieux shows his disgust with his team's play against the Panthers last night at Mellon Arena. Click photo for larger image. Related Story: Penguins Notebook: Despite struggles, Olczyk won't change his system Smizik: Penguins losses are just as bad as empty seats

Eddie Olczyk hadn't looked at tape of the play yet.

And didn't think he had to, really.

After all, Olczyk had seen the way Mario Lemieux reacted to being called for interference with 18.1 seconds left in regulation -- a penalty that led to the decisive goal in Florida's 4-3 overtime victory at Mellon Arena -- and quickly concluded that referee Dan O'Halloran made a grievous error in judgment.

"Obviously, when [Lemieux is] that disgusted -- for him to be as animated as he was -- that just goes to show me that there's no way that was a penalty," Olczyk said.

Lemieux had let O'Halloran know how he felt about the penalty -- both when the call was made, and again after Stephen Weiss beat Penguins goalie Jocelyn Thibault 53 seconds into overtime to end the game -- but declined to discuss it with reporters.

His teammates, though, seem to share Olczyk's perspective on the call made after Lemieux appeared to have an innocuous, totally unintentional collision with Panthers forward Martin Gelinas as regulation was winding down.

"I don't think he gets upset like that if the penalty is merited," center Sidney Crosby said.

The Penguins (0-4-5) remain the only NHL team without a victory, although they came within 212 minutes of shedding that distinction last night.

Third-period goals by Lasse Pirjeta and Dick Tarnstrom had allowed them to wipe out a 2-1 Panthers lead, and they actually were on a power play with less than 312 minutes to go in regulation.

	NEXT UP Game: Thrashers (3-6-0) vs. Penguins (0-4-5)., 7:30 p.m., Thursday. Where: Mellon Arena. TV/radio: FSN Pittsburgh/WWSW-FM (94.5) and WBGG-AM (970).

But defenseman Sergei Gonchar was called for hooking at 16:40 of the third period, and Florida defenseman Lukas Krajicek hammered a slap shot through a screen and past Thibault at 17:30 to tie the score.

That was Florida's first power-play goal in six tries with the extra man; Weiss' winner pushed the Panthers' total to 2 for 7.

"The penalty-killing was pretty darned good throughout the whole game [before those goals]," Olczyk said.

The power play had its moments, too, scoring twice in 12 tries. But it failed to capitalize during a five-on-three that lasted a full two minutes in the first period, and the Penguins did not take advantage of several other opportunities to pad their lead.

Similarly, Thibault produced some quality saves but allowed goals his team could not afford. The ones Florida got from Nathan Horton and Gelinas in the first period came off avoidable rebounds -- defenseman Rob Scuderi slid into Thibault on the first goal, and Thibault lost sight of the puck on the second -- and Thibault was unable to prevent Weiss from bringing the game to an abrupt end.

"We need a save there in overtime," Olczyk said.

It was, in a lot of ways, the Penguins' best showing of the season. It was the first time they outshot an opponent (41-34), and just the second game in which they've had a lead.

Not that any of that was much consolation.

"The bottom line is winning," Olczyk said. "It doesn't matter how close, or how far away you are."

If anything, this game served to underscore just how inadequate the Penguins' effort in many of the previous eight had been.

"We deserved to win," Crosby said. "It didn't come out that way. We can tell ourselves that we put an honest effort out. That happens in hockey. But the worst part of it is, I don't think we've been able to say that the games before."

The Penguins, who had hoped to sell out all 41 home dates this season, failed to attract a capacity crowd for the second consecutive game. Last night's attendance was 14,636, and that figure represented tickets in circulation, not how many people showed up.

And the fans who did make the trip weren't particularly pleased when Horton put Florida ahead at 2:45 of the first period. Or when Gelinas scored just 37 seconds after Ryan Malone had tied the score at 13:35.

But the Penguins got a lift -- and a huge goal -- from their third line to pull even three minutes into the third.

	Matt Murley celebrates a third-period goal with Lasse Pirjeta against Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo last night at Mellon Arena. Click photo for larger image.

Konstantin Koltsov triggered the sequence with an aggressive forecheck, causing a turnover by Krajicek that led to Matt Murley getting the puck in the left-wing corner. Murley threw a cross-ice feed to Lasse Pirjeta, who beat Luongo from the inner edge of the right circle.

And when Dick Tarnstrom poked a puck loose from under goalie Roberto Luongo's right pad and across the goal line during a power play at 7:07, it looked as if the Penguins might have a victory to celebrate.

But Krajicek got revenge for Pirjeta's goal after Gonchar was penalized, and Weiss -- with what the Penguins viewed as a terrific assist from O'Halloran -- snuffed any hope the Penguins had of going home with two points for the first time.

"Obviously, close isn't good enough," Olczyk said. "The piano gets a little heavier every time we go a game without winning."