Old foes and old woes were the stories that led to the Washington Capitals’ first “defeat” of this strange season, 4-3 to the ole pesky Pittsburgh Penguins. I put defeat in quotes because when you lose in a shootout…did you really lose a hockey game?
The Pens outshot the Caps 27 to 23 and the five-on-five shot attempts were locked up at 32 apiece.
By Chris Cerullo 2 years ago
Tom Wilson played physical, rugged, and fast against the Penguins during the teams’ first matchup of the season on Sunday.
Wilson led all Capitals players with eight hits — he has the third-most in the NHL this season — and was a monster both along the boards and near the crease.
For instance, check out this play between Wilson and Sidney Crosby in the Capitals’ offensive zone. Wilson attempts to move the puck but can’t because he’s being stick-checked by Crosby.
So here was his solution.
Sometimes the hockey gods aren’t on your side and Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Penguins got just enough bounces to pull out a 4-3 shootout victory. It marked Pittsburgh’s first win and Washington’s first loss of the season.
Alex Ovechkin, who scored his first goal of the season in the first period, was centimeters away from scoring a second midway through the third period.
It’s been way too long — nearly a calendar year — since the Washington Capitals spent a day visiting their best buddies, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both teams are still a bit rusty, as Sunday’s matinee can attest.
The Penguins got on the scoreboard first as Evan Rodrigues deflected a screened pass from Brian Dumoulin. The Caps responded with some fourth line grease and then took the leads thanks to Alex Ovechkin’s first goal of the season.
That lead was erased in the second period when Ilya Samsonov made a bad play behind his net. That mistake was temporarily given reprieve from a clean Kuznetsov-to-Backstrom sequence on the power play, but Marcus Petterson’s goal restored the tie, making it 3-3 going into the third period.
The third gave us heartburn but no goals, so we tried and failed to decide the game in overtime. Instead, I bring you the return of shootout bullets.
Caps lose.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
Alex Ovechkin was scoreless, inconceivably, after two games to start this season. That simply could not be allowed to stand any longer.
Before the first period of Sunday’s Caps-Pens game was over, Ovechkin remedied the problem with an assist from Kuznetsov and Wilson.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
Lots of familiarity in today’s Caps-Pens game. Sprong and Schultz used to play for the Penguins. Crosby and Ovi know each other very well. And behind the Penguins bench is ex-Caps coach Tod, seen above breaking mask protocol.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
At long last, the Washington Capitals will spend the afternoon with their old pals, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It’s a nooner. Stream it and hang out with us. I’ve got the honor of recap duty.
By Peter Hassett 2 years ago
