Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Ottawa's Dean McAmmond celebrates after scoring against goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in the first period of Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal last night at Mellon Arena.

By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins have shuffled their forward lines, tinkered with their lineup and done a little tactical tweaking during their first-round playoff series against Ottawa.

Nothing wrong with any of that.

	Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Sidney Crosby argues with Linesman Brian Murphy on a high stick that wasn't called against the Senators in the third period. Click photo for larger image. Tomorrow Game 4: Senators vs. Penguins, Mellon Arena, 7 p.m. TV: FSN Pittsburgh. Related articles Ottawa's Alfredsson leader on, off the ice Young Penguins draw new generation of fans Penguins Notebook: Small portion of crowd boos Canadian anthem Ottawa Notebook: Schubert rebounds from Game 2 collision Cook: Senators exploiting Penguins' weakness Collier: Penguins could use miracle at this point Photo journal

But now that they're down, 2-1, perhaps it's time to try something really radical, something unlike anything they've done to this point.

Something like playing 60 minutes of reasonably sound, intelligent and inspired -- or at least, interested -- hockey.

Sure, it sounds crazy, but it just might work. Better than anything the Penguins came up with during a significant chunk of their 4-2 loss to the Senators in Game 3 at Mellon Arena last night, at least.

"If we played our full game for 60 minutes, I'd like our chances," defenseman Rob Scuderi said.

Perhaps, but the Penguins haven't taken that concept past the theoretical stage yet, which is part of the reason the Senators have a 2-1 lead in the series, which will resume with Game 4 at 7:08 p.m. tomorrow at Mellon Arena. And why coach Michel Therrien probably picked up a six-pack of antacid on the way home last night.

"I'm concerned, there's no doubt," Therrien said. "This is three games in a row."

And two in a row when his players took the notion of hockey as a spectator sport far too literally during the second period, as they mostly stood around and watched as the Senators scored the three goals that put the game out of reach.

Perhaps it wasn't quite as bad as their second-period performance in a 4-3, come-from-behind victory in Ottawa Saturday, but the upgrade from abominable to abysmal wasn't quite enough.

"Our last two second periods, there's just no excuse for it," defenseman Mark Eaton said.

	Listen In Postgame commentary from the Penguins 4-2 home loss Sunday night in game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinals series versus Ottawa: Sidney Crosby "We need to play 60 minutes ..." The play is getting "chippy" Mark Recchi Why are the Penguins' flat in the second period? On Evgeni Malkin's frustrations Colby Armstrong Discusses his crushing hit on Patrick Eaves Senators' head coach Bryan Murray Murray's press conference

The only negative for the Senators was losing right winger Patrick Eaves because of an unspecified head injury nine minutes into the second period. He was hurt by a crushing hit from Penguins winger Colby Armstrong, who appeared to drive his shoulder into Eaves' jaw as he came around the Penguins' net.

"It was a fair hit," Senators coach Bryan Murray said. "A hockey hit."

Eaves was on the ice for several minutes and was taken off on a stretcher, but did not go to a hospital and was held out of the rest of the game only as a precaution, according to the Senators.

Scuderi, meanwhile, appeared to escape a hit from behind by Ottawa's Christoph Schubert in the waning minutes of play with nothing more than a sore neck.

"I thought I was pretty vulnerable," Scuderi said. The officials obviously agreed, because Schubert -- who the Penguins thought threw his leg out to initiate knee-to-knee contact with Evgeni Malkin in Game 1 -- was assessed a minor for boarding.

The Senators could have asked goalie Ray Emery to keep Eaves company in the medical room for the second half of the game and the outcome might not have changed much, because the Penguins generated just 19 shots.

Goaltending was Ottawa's biggest question mark coming into this series, and that hasn't changed. It also hasn't mattered, because Emery's most severe tests have come during the pregame warm-ups.

Gary Roberts put a puck past him 52 seconds into the game, but that was the only goal the Penguins scored until Sidney Crosby, sliding toward the net, steered in a Malkin feed at 14:40 of the third.

Although that was Malkin's fourth point of the series, Therrien still singled him out -- "He's got to be better" -- while discussing players who have underachieved so far in the series.

	Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Gary Roberts celebrates his first-period goal against the Senators with Colby Armstrong last night at Mellon Arena. Click photo for larger image.

"Some guys, we haven't seen them yet," Therrien said. "Some guys, it's like, I'm watching tape and they're on the ice, but they're out of the picture. Someone's going to have to start to pick it up."

Roberts' goal gave the Penguins an early lift, but Ottawa's Dean McAmmond deflated the standing-room crowd of 17,132 -- and the Penguins -- by throwing in a shot from the right post at 18:04 of the first.

"It was obviously a real blessing that we got one to tie it up before the period ended," Murray said.

And an even bigger one for Ottawa that the Penguins decided to pretty much sit out the second period for the second game in a row.

Mike Comrie put the Senators in front to stay at 2:13, and Daniel Alfredsson beat goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at 7:20 and 17:12 to put the game out of reach.

"It was pretty bad in the second period," Therrien said. "Pretty bad."

And it will get worse -- quickly -- if the Penguins don't start to take the idea that games consist of three 20-minute periods at face value.

"We just have to play 60 minutes," Crosby said. "That's basically it. We all know that."

Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Ottawa's Patrick Eaves is taken off the ice after a second-period injury.