When the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, former Patrick Division rivals, now in separate divisions thanks to the \u201cnew NHL\u201d, meet it\u2019s a typically a titanic nip-and-tuck struggle. Sunday\u2019s meeting at Verizon Center did not disappoint in that regard, with the Penguins eventually escaping the Nation\u2019s Capital with a 4-3 shootout win.<\/p>\n
The teams entered the game heading in different directions, the Penguins, climbing back into the playoff race under new coach, Dan Bylsma, entering the game on a five game winning streak and the Capitals, under second year bench boss, Bruce Boudreau, coming into the contest on a three game losing skid.<\/p>\n
Before the game, a fan sporting a sign declaring, \u201cYou can\u2019t spell Crosby with C-R-Y\u201d, was displayed on the beautiful HDTV scoreboard screen above center ice; however, it was Crosby who had the Caps in a foul mood at 4:20 of the first period, when he converted a 2-on-1 with Bill Guerin to put his team ahead on the scoreboard, 1-0. Chris Kunitz, acquired by the Pens just before the trade deadline, picked up the secondary assist on the Crosby strike.<\/p>\n
Alexander Semin, who wears the number 28 sweater for the Caps, tied the game at 1 with his 28th goal of the season at 12:46. Semin\u2019s goal was courtesy of a costly turnover by Pens\u2019 defenseman, Kris Letang, from behind the net. Letang, who had other options, had his pass intercepted by Niklas Backstrom, who quickly dished a pass to Semin, who precisely placed a backhand shot into the upper corner of the net.<\/p>\n
Moments before the end of the period, Caps netminder, Jose Theodore, foiled Crosby\u2019s breakaway attempt, sealing off the Pens\u2019 superstars\u2019 bid to beat him through the five hole.<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh regained their one goal lead at 6:09 of the second period, when former Cap, Sergei Gonchar, struck on the power play. Gonchar, with Backstrom in the penalty box serving a hooking penalty, incurred after a faceoff duel against Crosby, sizzled a slapshot by the stick hand of Capitals\u2019 goaltender, Jose Theodore.<\/p>\n
Guerin, rumored to be heading to Washington in the days before the recently expired NHL trade deadline, gave the visitors a 3-1 at 10:54, wristing a shot by Theodore after collecting a beautiful no-look pass from Crosby.<\/p>\n
Shortly before the conclusion of the second period, Washington defenseman, Tom Poti, appeared to have cut into the Capitals\u2019 deficit when he blasted a shot that beat Pens\u2019 goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, at 18:10. However, after video review, the puck was ruled to have never entered the net, and the Pens headed into the second intermission with their two-goal lead still intact.<\/p>\n
Capitals\u2019 forward, Brooks Laich, who obviously did not \u201cLaich\u201d the prospect of seeing his team falling in regulation for the fourth consecutive game on home ice, took matters into his own hands early in the third period.<\/p>\n
Entering the game within a point of matching his career high of 37 points in a season, Laich achieved his mission early in the third frame, assisting on Alex Ovechkin\u2019s power play goal only 29 seconds into the frame. Mike Green, the NHL\u2019s leading scorer among defenseman, also picked up his 34th helper on Ovechkin\u2019s 47th tally of the season.<\/p>\n
Laich, remaining on the ice after the Ovechkin goal, quickly tied the game at three when he beat Fleury on a breakaway attempt at 1:18. With the Penguins in the middle of a line change, Laich received a long outlet pass from teammate, Dave Steckel, at center ice. Proceeding into the Penguins\u2019 zone, Laich momentarily lost control of the puck, before gathering it back in, eventually beating Fleury to the stick side.<\/p>\n
After the early fireworks, neither team was able to score in the remainder of regulation or overtime, sending the contest into a shootout to determine the eventual victor.<\/p>\n
Alexander Semin, started the shootout by having his five hole effort repelled by Fleury. Letang was next up and was denied by the glove hand of Theodore.<\/p>\n
The second round saw Capitals\u2019 forward, Viktor Kozlov, attempting unsuccessfully, like Semin to beat Fleury through the five hole. <\/p>\n
Crosby stepped up to the plate for the Pens in the bottom of the second round. Crosby, after gathering speed, slowed down noticeably upon his approach to the crease, faking a shot that got Theodore to commit, and then lofted a shot high into the cage to give the Pens a 1-0 lead in the shootout.<\/p>\n
Fleury, faced with the tough challenge of stopping Ovechkin to ensure a victory, rose to challenge and snuffed out Ovechkin\u2019s wrist shot to give the Pens the shootout triumph. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"