Fresh off a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators, the Washington Capitals are back home in DC to take on their biggest rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The game marks the 71st time Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have played each other over the last 20 seasons. The Penguins have the edge in those games going 41-25-4. Both players remain very productive and are averaging over a point per game this season despite nearing 40 years in age. The 39-year-old Alex Ovechkin has 33 points (21g, 12a) in 29 games played this season, while Crosby has 48 points (12g, 36a) in 47 games.
Logan Thompson will start for the Capitals in net while Joel Blomqvist will tend the twine for Pittsburgh. Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic will serve as backup after scoring a goalie goal last night against the Buffalo Sabres.
The Capitals-Penguins game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm. This will be Craig Laughlin’s final game in the booth before he has a heart procedure. #LockerStrong.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Tom Wilson throws a big, early hit on Kris Letang. Andrew Mangiapane rings the post behind Joel Blomqvist moments later.
The Penguins needed 6:48 of the first period to record their first shot on goal. At the first TV timeout, Washington was up 7-1 in shots.
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Jakob Chychrun (13). Assists: A. Protas (19). Time: 07:42.
Chychrun pumps a hard shot from the point that clicks off Anthony Beauvillier and past Blomqvist’s blocker.
Brandon Duhaime throws a big hit on Michael Bunting. Bunting goes down, grabbing his face to try and draw a call, but gets no love from the officials.
Duhaime takes the first penalty of the game 16:57 into the first period, a cross-checking minor on Bunting.
At intermission: The Capitals will go into the second period up 1-0. Washington leads in shots 9 to 8. The Capitals also had the better of the five-on-five play, out-attempting Pittsburgh 18-15.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Pierre-Luc Dubois draws Washington’s first power play of the game. Rickard Rakell sent to the box for hooking 9:40 into the second period.
Blomqvist makes a fantastic stop in tight on Tom Wilson with the Capitals up a man.
🚨 2-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Aliaksei Protas (19). Assists: P. Dubois (28), C. McMichael (16). Time: 12:08.
Connor McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Aliaksei Protas play tic-tac-toe in the Penguins zone to increase Washington’s lead.
Extended shift for the Capitals in the offensive zone after Matt Grzelcyk had one of his skate blades come off.
Anthony Beauvillier slewfoots Matt Roy in the corner with 16.8 seconds left in the second frame, enraging Martin Fehervary. Fehervary takes Beauvillier out, while Connor McMichael wrestles Marcus Pettersson.
Beauvillier receives a two-minute minor penalty for tripping. Fehervary gets a two-minute minor for roughing. Bunting gets a two-minute minor for roughing. Capitals power play.
At intermission: The Capitals are up 2-0 after 40 minutes. Washington leads in shots 20 to 14 and the five-on-five shot attempts are shared 31 apiece.
Third Period
Puck is dropped.
Logan Thompson with a series of big stops, including one on Evgeni Malkin to keep the Capitals up two.
Ethen Frank draws a tripping penalty on Pettersson 4:21 into the third period.
John Carlson hits the post twice in about five seconds on the ensuing power play.
Protas takes a hooking penalty on Malkin with 12:30 left in regulation.
Blomqvist stops Wilson on a shorthanded breakaway.
🚨 2-1 Washington Capitals. PIT Goal: Bryan Rust (19). Assists: S. Crosby (37), R. Rakell (17) Time: 11:29.
Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby catch the Capitals up ice after a turnover and finish off an odd-man rush to get the Penguins on the board.
McMichael draws a tripping penalty on Letang with 4:04 remaining in the third.
🚨 3-1 Washington Capitals. WSH PPG: P. Dubois (8). Assists: C. McMichael (17). Time: 17:50.
Dubois puts a feed from McMichael into the roof of the net to restore Washington’s two-goal lead.
🚨 4-1 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: B. Duhaime (6). Assists: T. Wilson (15), N. Dowd (7). Time: 18:30.
Wilson feeds Duhaime for an easy empty-netter to seal the win.
Capitals win 4-1. Washington outshot Pittsburgh 33 to 19. The Penguins out-attempted the Capitals at five-on-five 41 to 34.
Caps beat Penguins 4-1, but Logan Thompson gave up a goal, so what’s the point
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