PENS ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CHASE WITH LOSS IN CHICAGO

The Penguins were officially eliminated from the race for the playoffs yesterday with their 3-1 loss at Chicago.

Rickard Rakell had the Pens’ goal, his 34^th of the season, at 14:36 of the third period. Alex Ndeljkovic stopped 28 of 30 shots for the Pens and Sidney Crosby’s 12-game scoring streak was stopped.

Coach Mike Sullivan reacted to the Pens missing the playoffs for a third straight year.

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The Penguins have four games left in the season, at home against the Blackhawks tomorrow night, at New Jersey on Friday, then at home Sunday against the Bruins and the season finale, next Thursday at home against Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.

Ovechkin yesterday scored his 895^th career goal, passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal-scoring record. He beat Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin, a fellow Russian, with a power play slapper from his signature spot on top of the left circle at 12:34 of the second period. Counting the playoffs, Gretzky still leads Ovechkin by 50 goals.