After a week break, a full-strength, kinda out-of-shape, Washington Capitals team took on their biggest rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins. There were some Valentine’s Day-themed tiddlywinks on social media pregame, but the two got serious on the ice.
Evgeny Kuznetsov, who ironically hates early games, opened the scoring in his first game back from protocol. But the lead was short-lived. The Pens struck back with Bryan Rust and Brandon Tanev tallies 32 seconds apart. In the second period, Jakub Vrana tied it early before the Penguins piled on two more. Nicklas Backstrom outmuscled Evgeni Malkin to make it 4-3 before intermission. In the third, the Pens would add two empty netters in the final minute to win 6-3.
CAPS LOSE.
Vrana at the bench pic.twitter.com/9jMycbRcOF
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) February 14, 2021
Nic Dowd's injury pic.twitter.com/uYB93qvsD9
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) February 14, 2021
That four goals on Vanecek on 18 shots. He's allowed three or more goals in nine of his last 10 starts. It's never all on the goalie but…
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) February 14, 2021
Kuzy’s muffin was the tasty treat we deserved on Valentine’s Day.
The Capitals were not ready for this Matheson pinch in. He found Rust wide open in front of the tap in.
The very next shift, Tanev scored. The forward found the juicy rebound after not being cleared out in front of the net.
THE SNEK. After finding a rebound, Vrana blindly swept the puck towards the net… and it went in!
Rust dented the twine again after Kris Letang sent a pass through two Capitals PK’ers. Yuck.
After a shot block in front of the net, Guentzel put the loose puck past a bewildered Vitek Vanecek.
Alex Ovechkin gained the zone sensationally and then sent a centering pass into the skates of Evgeni Malkin. Backstrom lifted Malkin’s stick in front of the net for his seventh of the season.
ZAR from WAY DOWNTOWN with the Caps’ goalie pulled. Game over.
ENGx2
Since this was a national game, there was no Joe B. So here’s Hunky Pierre instead.
Pierre's smiling because they let him cover a Penguins game again pic.twitter.com/4aWw16ujXO
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) February 14, 2021
It seems like most Capitals-Penguins games are high-scoring affairs and this one was no different. But instead of pretty goals by two of the biggest superstars in the league, it was depth players finding pucks at their skates and sending in rebounds.
The Capitals and Penguins will play again on Tuesday. Let’s hope they can pull that one out perhaps with a different goalie. Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody.
RMNB Coverage of Caps at Penguins
Screenshot courtesy of NBC
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