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Back on top: Caps beat Penguins 5-3

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The Washington Capitals have not solved their problems, but on Sunday afternoon at least they managed to outscore. The Caps narrowly defeated the Penguins on home ice to take back the top spot of the Metropolitan Division.

Jakub Vrana scored a gorgeous goal in the first period, leaving Marcus Pettersson in the dust, having him wipe out, and then trusting him to deflect the puck into the net while also getting injured. The Caps flatlined after that, and the Penguins punished them for it. In the second period, Patric Hornqvist tied the game after a failed clear, then Sidney Crosby earned the lead as Oshie pushed the puck into the net.

Early in the third, Tom Wilson forced a turnover and scored on a breakaway to restore the tie. Carl Hagelin dueled in the slot to put the Caps ahead again, but Evgeni Malkin’s rush goal made it even all over again with 10 minutes to go. TJ Oshie crashed the net to put the Caps up yet again.

Caps win!

  • According to Tom Gulitti, the lead the Caps took into the first intermission was the first time they’ve done that since the end of January.
  • But they had already stopped shooting by that point. After about ten minutes, the Caps got totally smothered in the neutral zone and deprived of scoring chances. It’s the same pattern we’ve been seeing for the past few weeks: this team just sucks in transition.
  • So they had to settle for some trolling. Brenden Dillon was precisely that troll when he coaxed Evgeni Malkin into a fight (ruled as matching double minors for roughing).
  • In a span of 26 seconds, the Penguins erased Washington’s lead and replaced with a lead of their own. There was a feeling of inevitability before that, but it still stung.

  • Tom Wilson has three goal in three games (or since this tweet), and each of them has been important. He summoned his goal today out of nothing– creating a turnover and converting it. He hit twenty goal today.
  • Great game from Carl Hagelin. Big penalty killing, even better goal-scoring.
  • Norris finalist buzz recipient John Carlson sure did get posterized on that Malkin goal, eh?

No Joe B, so here’s my best friend Ovie.

And with that, the Caps are now, kinda sorta, back atop the Metro Division. It wasn’t a great game. It probably wasn’t even a good game. But it was won, and that’s what matters for now.

Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Penguins

Additional reporting by Brennin Weiswerda

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