Two nights after being pulled in favor of Philipp Grubauer, Braden Holtby returned between the pipes in Game Three.
Beyond a poor 48-second stretch late in the the third period, Holtby was sensational, stopping 28 of 30 shots. He’s 12-2 after games in which he’s pulled.
After the game, Holtby credited his “sports psych guy.”
Penguins forward Sidney Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
This is bad news for the game of hockey. It doesn’t matter who you root for.
By Chris Gordon 6 years ago
Monday night before the Caps entered overtime, I had one friend tell me they were vomiting. Another had to turn the game off because their nerves were getting the best of them.
“I can’t watch overtime,” my friend said to me in a text. “I’m too heartbroken already.”
After surrendering a two-goal lead late in the third period, the Caps won their first game of their second-round series against Pittsburgh, tallying the decisive goal 3:13 into overtime. Kevin Shattenkirk’s seeing-eye wrist shot found the back of the net.
While I screamed an angry expletive at my TV (because my favorite team seemingly does not know how to win games without conjuring extreme emotional distress), the Capitals were actually happy about the result.
Here are the fun GIFs to prove it.
Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will not face any supplemental discipline for the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after cross-checking the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby in the face on Monday night in Game Three.
The news was first reported by Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.
Niskanen was given a five minute major and a game misconduct on the play by the referees.
By Chris Gordon 6 years ago
Down but not out, the Caps marched into Pittsburgh on Monday night and came out with a 3-2 win in OT. The victory wasn’t boring and your nerves are probably frayed, but the Caps are right back in this series.
Kevin Shattenkirk, who has looked shaky since early in Round One, found the back of the net on the PP it OT to give the Caps the win to cap off a wild night. Sidney Crosby left the game and didn’t return after taking a blow to the head from Matt Niskanen, Nick Backstrom scored a weird goal, and Evgeny Kuznetsov finished off a play that showed passing and patience work sometimes, and the guy who yells “SHOOOOOOOT” isn’t always right.
After dominating shot attempts in the first two games, Game Three was more even, as the Caps out-attempted the Pens 45-35. What a difference a bounce here or there and strong goaltending can make.
By Patrick Holden 6 years ago
Capitals head coach Barry Trotz clearly had a plan for his postgame press conference: Defend Matt Niskanen so that his star defenseman could escape a suspension from the Department of Player Safety.
Instead, the most noteworthy part of Trotz’s meeting with reporters was his fiery exchange with Pittsburgh reporter Rob Rossi.
Alex Ovechkin took a wrist shot in Game Two that hit Ron Hainsey in the face. Hainsey was okay, but reports out of Pittsburgh suggested that Penguins players thought that Ovechkin was reckless and may have targeted Hainsey with the shot.
Then Sidney Crosby left Game Three following a hit by Matt Niskanen, and now one Penguins player is accusing a Caps player of felony assault. Again.
By Peter Hassett 6 years ago
In February, the Capitals landed Kevin Shattenkirk, the most talented player available, at the trade deadline.
After struggling for most of the playoffs, Shattenkirk paid dividends in Game Three, scoring the decisive — and what seemed like an improbable goal — 3:13 into overtime.
The Pens now lead the second-round series 2-1.
Washington Capitals, just when I thought you couldn’t possibly break my heart any more, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!
Pictured: Me rn
This is how the Caps beat the Penguins, then almost lost, then won off the stick of their worst player this postseason. This stupid, stupid team.
Nick Backstrom, with the patience of a majestic fox, scored a funky one on a first period power play. The second period went on for 78 hours but did not change the scoreboard. Evgeny Kuznetsov shook off his snakebite to score a patient goal of his own with ten minutes left in the third.
With two minutes left and an empty net, Evgeni Malkin positively destroyed the puck, scoring on the short side. With one minute left an the net still empty, Justin Schultz’s point shot got a good bounce to tie it. The Penguins forced overtime.
But in overtime, can you believe it, Kevin Shattenkirk won it on a power play. Hahaha. This team is so dumb, I hate that I love them.
Caps beat the Penguins 3-2 in overtime! The Pens lead the series 2-1.
By Peter Hassett 6 years ago
Late in the second period, Evgeny Kuznetsov had a chance to give the Caps a commanding 2-0 lead heading into intermission.
Instead, like he’s done the entire series, Penguins goaltender Marc-André Fleury made an incredible stop, keeping it a one-goal game.
