(Best E Casino) - The Pittsburgh Penguins try to end a three-game skid tonight when they host the Ottawa Senators at Mellon Arena.

The Pens' slide comes on the heels of a five-game Pittsburgh winning streak. The last two tilts have been decided in overtime.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh dropped a 4-3 overtime tilt to Tampa Bay in its first home game after a four-game trip out west. Vincent Lecavalier scored with 2:19 left in overtime to lift the Lightning.

Nils Ekman recorded a natural hat trick in the second period, and Sergei Gonchar and Sidney Crosby each had two assists for the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 stops in the losing effort.

Penguins rookie Evgeni Malkin failed to score a goal for the third consecutive match after managing one in each of his first six NHL games.

Pittsburgh will visit Carolina on Saturday.

Ottawa, meanwhile, has lost its last five games (0-4-1). On Wednesday the Sens dropped a 5-4 decision in Atlanta, as Slava Kozlov recorded his fifth career hat trick, including the game-winner, to lift the Thrashers.

Jason Spezza, Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and an assist for the slumping Senators, while Martin Gerber allowed all five Atlanta goals on 31 shots.

The Senators had not lost five consecutive games since February 22-March 9, 1996.

Gerber, who has struggled with his new team, will likely see most of the action in the near future, as fellow netminder Ray Emery is out of action with a sprained wrist.

Ottawa will visit Boston on Saturday.

The Sens swept four game from the Pens last season and are 6-0-1 (one tie) in the last seven meetings overall.