042917 | RMNBRMNB

Report: Penguins players suggest Alex Ovechkin tried to hurt Ron Hainsey

Has the Caps-Pens rivalry sunk to a new low? You tell me.

Saturday night after the Penguins’ 6-2 Game Two victory, DK Pittsburgh Sports’s Josh Yohe reported that several Penguins players were critical of Alex Ovechkin after a shot from the Caps captain struck Ron Hainsey in the head. According to Yohe, some unnamed players suggested Ovi was reckless when he took the shot.

[Hainsey] indicated following the game that his helmet absorbed the majority of the blow and that he believed he would be OK.

One got the sense from a couple of Penguins after the game that they believed Ovechkin, while not necessarily acting with intent, was pretty careless regarding how he fired the puck in Hainsey’s direction.

Here’s the play in question.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Barry Trotz: After being pulled, Braden Holtby will ‘absolutely’ start Game Three

On Saturday night in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Philipp Grubauer led to Washington Capitals on to the ice. With the Caps down 3-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Braden Holtby, last year’s Vezina Trophy winner and a finalist once again in 2017, sat on the bench, his face partially obscured by a baseball hat pulled down on his head. Holtby had allowed three goals on just 14 shots.

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By Chris Gordon 3 years ago

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Hockey is dumb sometimes: numbers for the morning after

The Caps find themselves in an 0-2 series hole after falling to the Penguins 6-2 on Saturday night. This game sucked and it’s understandable if you’ve got “here we go again” running through your head.

The Caps absolutely dominated the first period. This was one of the more dominant twenty minutes of hockey the Caps have played this season. But the frame ended with nothing to show for it and, oooh boy, does that sting now. Missed assignments, odd-man rushes, and Braden Holtby looking human came to define a game that could have looked very different if a puck or two had been deposited behind Marc-Andre Fleury in the first period.

But it didn’t happen. And here we are.

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By Patrick Holden 3 years ago

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After going down 2-0 to the Penguins, the Capitals held a team meeting that is ‘none of your business’

As the media stirred outside Washington Capitals the locker room for over 10 minutes, the team leaders came up to head coach Barry Trotz and told him they would handle the postgame talk in the locker room. The team had just lost 6-2 in front of their home fans — or at least the small number that were left when the final horn sounded — to go down 2-0 in their second round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nicklas Backstrom, the quiet Swede whose quiet demeanor hides his world-class skill, spoke to the team. Backstrom came to the team almost 10 years ago after being a fourth overall pick, eventually rising to be one of the team’s biggest locker room presences and an alternate captain. The rest of the team then opened up.

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By Chris Gordon 3 years ago

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Here’s how Tom Wilson got tossed from Game Two

With the Capitals down 5-2 late in the third period, enforcer Tom Wilson looked to give his team energy and send a message to the Penguins.

Instead Wilson would be sent to the showers early.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Penguins beat Caps 6-2, so that’s… not good

Well, I’m a tad disappointed. After a strong start gave them no goals, the Washington Capitals self-immolated, losing Game Two in disastrous fashion.

In the first, Washington had all the offense but no goals to show for it. That momentum carried into in the second, but Matt Cullen’s shorthanded goal suddenly put the Caps on their heels. They responded immediately with Matt Niskanen’s one-timer off Alex Ovechkin’s pass, but the Pens surged after that. Sidney Crosby carved up three Caps D to serve Phil Kessel. Jake Guentzel beat Braden Holtby short-side on a breakaway.

Holtby was pulled at the second intermission, with Philipp Grubauer taking his spot. He was instantly tested and found wanting on an early power play converted by Phil Kessel. Nick Backstrom gave fans some spirit by finishing Alex Ovechkin’s chance, but Evgeni Malkin crushed those spirits with a helpful bounce. Jake Guentzel’s empty-netter made it 6-2.

Caps lose 6-2. Penguins lead the series 2-0.

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By Peter Hassett 3 years ago

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Barry Trotz pulls Braden Holtby after giving up three goals on 14 shots

As the Washington Capitals came out for the third period of Game Two, a new player skated out to defend the net.

Head Coach Barry Trotz benched Braden Holtby, his reigning Vezina Trophy-winner goaltender, in favor of talented backup Philipp Grubauer.

Holtby fumed on the bench.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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Caps fan takes photo near Pierre McGuire while wearing ‘Shut up Pierre’ shirt

NBC analyst Pierre McGuire is a nice, gracious human. Let’s get that out of the way first.

But as a commentator of the sport of hockey, McGuire can at times be grating. McGuire knows a lot and wants you to know that he knows a lot. He spends at least thirty-five minutes each night regaling us with tales of where each player played midget and who roomed with whom in college. When the Caps play the Penguins, Pierre is effusive in praise for the latter. Pierre did win a Stanley Cup with them after all.

So that’s why — even though this man is an insanely gracious, kind person who I would buy multiple beers for — I love the below photo.

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By Ian Oland 3 years ago

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