After emphatically ending their four-game losing streak last night against the St. Louis Blues, the Washington Capitals are back in action 24 hours later to take on their biggest rival: the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The matchup pits Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby against each other for the 74th time in the regular season. Ovi enters the game hours after reaching the 900-goal milestone.
After not making the playoffs again last season, the Penguins are off to a hot start this year, notching points in 10 of their first 14 games. They currently sit second in the Metropolitan Division, three points ahead of the Caps.
The Capitals are 1-1-1 in the back half of their back-to-backs this season. The Penguins are rested and come into the game with two days of rest.
Puck drop for tonight’s game is shortly after 7:30 pm. ESPN+ is airing the game.
Ovi 900 goals merch drop
Lines
Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Connor McMichael to the box just 1:05 in for hooking. Penguins to their first power play.
Bryan Rust rings one off the post after a great set up feed by Evgeni Malkin. Rust gets two more point-blank, short-side opportunities.
The horn at PPG Paints Arena sounds as play was continuing.
Crosby scores his fifth power-play goal of the season after a great setup feed by Benjamin Kindel — his first career assist. The Penguins were really whipping it around the ice there.
1-0 Pittsburgh Penguins
PPG: Sidney Crosby (10). Assists: B. Kindel (1), B. Rust (8). Time: 2:22
Brandon Duhaime runs into Silovs as he drives the net. He might hear from that one later. Silovs looses his stick.
The Penguins are out-attempting the Capitals 10-0 and outshooting them 5-0 early. Not optimal.
Silovs makes a huge save on Sonny Milano at the back post.
Lapierre with a pass behind a falling Chychrun in the Penguins zone, springing Pittsburgh on a 4-on-2 break. Nothing comes of it, though – thank goodness.
Penguins honor Alex Ovechkin for his 900th goal. Ovi waves to Penguins fans from the Capitals bench.
Crosby appears to hit Lindgren in the helmet as he’s spruing on a semi-breakaway.
Rust hits the post for a second time this period.
Sonny Milano to the box for hooking at 10:33. Pens go their second power play.
Erik Karlsson blasts a shot from the point but Lindgren makes a big save. It’s a shooting gallery on The Outlaw.
Karlsson’s shot is deflected by Rust. Lindgren makes the initial save, but Crosby swats the rebound home.
2-0 Pittsburgh Penguins
PPG: Sidney Crosby (11). Assists: B. Rust (9), E. Karlsson (11). Time: 11:30
Delayed penalty on Pittsburgh. Caps have the puck for about a minute in the defensive zone. Immediately lose control of the puck as they enter the O zone. This feels like it’s going to be a long night.
Blake Lizotte to the box at 13:54 for slashing Alex Ovechkin. Capitals going to their first power play. They’re 1 for their last 17.
Caps look terrible on the power play again. Penguins’ legs are really churning tonight and the Caps can barely move.
Trevor van Riemsdyk to the box for interference on Blake Lizotte at 16:07. Penguins go to their third power play.
Dowd and Malkin have a moment 22 seconds into the power play.
Capitals kill a penalty for the first time tonight.
Looks like Carbs might already be changing the lines.
At intermission: The Penguins lead 2-0. They’re outshooting the Capitals 16 to 7 and out-attempting them at 5v5 16 to 6. ESPN is really pushing the “Ovechkin-Crosby great friends” angle hard during intermission.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Silovs makes a big save on Dylan Strome, then somehow freezes the puck as Alex Ovechkin digs for it in the crease.
At first, it appeared Lindgren kinda skated that puck into his own net. Instead Mantha found a rebound and chunked it by him.
3-0 Pittsburgh Penguins
Goal: Anthony Mantha (7). Assists: T. Novak (5), B. Lizotte (1). Time: 2:08
Trevor van Riemsdyk off for high-sticking Mantha at 2:23. Penguins back to the power play
Lindgren looks behind him as Ville Koivunen has a high-danger chance near the crease.
Ovechkin lays out Koivunen at neutral ice.
Ovechkin intercepts a pass and finds Dylan Strome down low, who picks the short side top corner.
3-1 Pittsburgh Penguins
Goal: Dylan Strome (4). Assists: A. Ovechkin (6). Time: 9:41
Leonard takes a pass from John Carlson in the slot and scores on his backhand.
3-2 Pittsburgh Penguins Goal: Ryan Leonard (4). Assists: J. Carlson (7), H. Lapierre (3). Time: 14:17
The Penguins are challenging Leonard’s goal for being offside.
Ryan Leonard’s goal is overturned for being offside.
Strome finds Rasmus Sandin, who jumps into the play and shoots the puck five hole past Silvos.
3-2 Pittsburgh Penguins
Goal: Rasmus Sandin (1). Assists: D. Strome (9), A. Ovechkin (7). Time: 14:53
Crosby slow to the bench after taking a slap pass in front of the net to his knee.
Tom Wilson scores with 4.9 seconds remaining, finding a rebound in the slot. The Penguins have completely stopped playing.
3-3 tie
Goal: Tom Wilson (9). Assists: D. Strome (10), J. Carlson (7). Time: 19:55
Dylan Strome, who was invisible in the first period, had three points (1g, 2a) in the second.
At intermission: The game is somehow tied 3-3. The Penguins lead in shots 25 to 23. Five-on-five shot attempts are 40-39 Pittsburgh.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
ESPN shows Charlie Lindgren earlier in the second period taking a stick to the right leg from Evgeni Malkin and then later talking to the trainer at the bench. He’s back for the third period though.
Anthony Beauvillier draws an interference penalty on Connor Clifton at 4:43 as he tries to pass the puck off the end boards to himself.
Dewar dangles around John Carlson and then has his stick break as he tries a shorthanded chance. The Penguins and their fans wanted a slashing call on Tom Wilson but it appears his stick was already breaking on the attempt.
Dewar hits the post on his next short-handed shift!
Clifton knocks Protas hard into the end boards as both teams skate at 5v5.
Capitals going back to the power play after Ben Kindle accidently knocks the puck off the ice with his arm in the defensive zone at 8:39. Caps back to the power play.
Ovi with a huge one-timer from the left circle but he shoots it right into Silvos.
Strome ends the power play 45 seconds in for a cross-check.
Evgeni Malkin with a Hall of Fame pass to Bryan Rust on the power play to put the Penguins up 4-3. Wow.
4-3 Pittsburgh Penguins
PPG: Bryan Rust (5). Assists: E. Malkin (17), B. Kindel (2). Time: 11:16
Clifton hits the post and the puck goes out of play. I believe that’s 5 pings this end of the ice.
Capitals pull Charlie Lindgren with about 2:17 remaining.
From about 125 feet away, Dewar hits the bullseye.
5-3 Pittsburgh Penguins
ENG: Connor Dewar (4). Assists: K. Letang (6). Time: 17:56
Penguins win 5-3. Capitals played great for 10 minutes.
Special teams again prove to be anything but special: Penguins beat Capitals 5-3
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