"Talk about tossing a guy to the wolves.

In making his first-ever playoff start, Pascal "Chocolate" Leclaire was hardly prepared. Since unfairly being pulled after allowing two goals on the first five shots March 4 in Carolina, Leclaire had made five starts, winning just one and allowing 18 goals.

" It was a fun night," Leclaire said of the triple-OT thriller.

"Guys blocked a lot of shots again. They had a few scoring chances right in the slot, and the guys were there with the big blocks.

"I did feel good. I felt confident in there. I felt calm. When it keeps going like that, it's exciting. You watch these games since you were a little kid, and you want to be part of them."

Of his previous seven starts before Thursday, only one was against a playoff team. And don't forget, he had recorded a grand total of one victory since Dec. 31.

Then he's called upon to save the day against the powerful Penguins?

Ahh, the Senators had to try something, right? And Brian Elliott had been playing poorly, so why not this. Plus, Leclaire is going to be taking $4.8 million of Eugene Melnyk's money next season, either way, so it'd look better on everybody if it wasn't as a backup.

Thing is, Leclaire surprised everyone with his performance in Game 5. He played well. Very well. Border-line outstanding. He made 56 saves. He stopped 18-of-19 shots in the second period, 13-of-14 in the third and 17 in the overtimes.

If not for him, the Senators would have never lived to see overtime."