Game 1 - Pens @ Washington Capitals 3-2 - Thursday, April 26, 2018
The Penguins scored three goals in a 4:49 span in the third period to rally for a 3-2 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Capital One Arena. Jake Guentzel had a goal and two assists, Patric Hornqvist had a goal and an assist, and Matt Murray made 32 saves for Pittsburgh.
Sidney Crosby had two points (one goal, one assist) and passed Jari Kurri for third-most multipoint games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (61).
Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist, Tom Wilson had two assists, and Braden Holtby made 22 saves for Washington, who led 2-0. Hornqvist scored to cut it to 2-1 at 2:59 of the third, redirecting Justin Schultz's shot from the point.
Crosby tied it 2-2 at 5:20. After receiving a cross-ice pass from Guentzel, Crosby beat Holtby five-hole from the right circle.
"I just think we complement each other well," Guentzel said. "We get on the forecheck and we're always around each other. Playing with Sid, it makes it pretty easy and opens up a lot of space for us. Just try to take advantage of it."
Guentzel gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead at 7:48, deflecting Crosby's shot along the left boards short side.
"They had good looks, we had good looks, but those three shifts changed the game," Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov said.
* Murray's save on at Connolly 17:31 of the third period. * Crosby's goal at 5:20 of the third period. * Guentzel leads the NHL with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in the playoffs. He is the 10th player to have at least 16 points through his team's first seven postseason games, third with the Penguins (Mario Lemieux, 1992; Crosby, 2010). ... Crosby, who has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in the playoffs, trails Mark Messier (77) and Wayne Gretzky (108) for most multipoint games. … Washington has blown a two-goal lead in three of its four postseason losses. … Ovechkin has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in seven playoff games.
"Early on especially, you're just focusing on playing. You make adjustments as you go along, and so does the other team. So I think things will tighten up as the series goes along." -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby
"[Holtby] was unbelievable today. You know, one mistake, one bad bounce and they're back in the game. That's it. Nothing you can say. It's over. We have to focus on our next game." -- Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin
Game 2 - Pens @ Washington Capitals 1-4 - Sunday, April 29, 2018
Alex Ovechkin had a goal and an assist, Tom Wilson had two assists, and Braden Holtby made 22 saves for Washington, who led 2-0. Hornqvist scored to cut it to 2-1 at 2:59 of the third, redirecting Justin Schultz's shot from the point.
"I just think we complement each other well," Guentzel said. "We get on the forecheck and we're always around each other. Playing with Sid, it makes it pretty easy and opens up a lot of space for us. Just try to take advantage of it."
Guentzel gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead at 7:48, deflecting Crosby's shot along the left boards short side.
"They had good looks, we had good looks, but those three shifts changed the game," Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov said.
"Early on especially, you're just focusing on playing. You make adjustments as you go along, and so does the other team. So I think things will tighten up as the series goes along." -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby"[Holtby] was unbelievable today. You know, one mistake, one bad bounce and they're back in the game. That's it. Nothing you can say. It's over. We have to focus on our next game." -- Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin
Game 2 - Pens @ Washington Capitals 1-4 - Sunday, April 29, 2018
Braden Holtby made 32 saves for the Washington Capitals in a 4-1 win against the Penguins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Capital One Arena. Alex Ovechkin, Jakub Vrana, Brett Connolly and Nicklas Backstrom scored for the Capitals.
Washington, who had a 2-0 lead in the first period, scored the first two goals for the fifth time in eight Stanley Cup playoff games, including a 3-2 loss to the Penguins in Game 1.
"We knew we let them back the last game," Backstrom said. "That was huge. That's what we wanted to do. That's a big win for us."
Kris Letang scored and Matt Murray made 28 saves for the Penguins.
"They came out flying," Murray said. "We didn't have an answer for it."
Vrana finished a pass from Lars Eller with five seconds left on a power play to make it 2-0 at 14:54 of the first for his first playoff goal. The Penguins used a coach's challenge for goalie interference on the play, but the call on the ice stood.
"We need to have a better start," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "We need more pushback from the drop of the puck. Listen, we knew they were going to come out hard. We're up 1-0 (in the series) after the first game, we knew they were going to come out hard. We didn't match the urgency."
Holtby helped preserve the lead for Washington in the second period when it was outshot 16-6. He stopped Hornqvist, knocking the puck out of the crease with his stick at 10:56 and then stopped Guentzel's rebound chance with a pad save at the left post.
"I thought Braden was real solid all game," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought he made some timely saves. He moved well. They were trying to make everything very difficult and he responded the way he always has."
Letang's point shot at 13:04 of the second made it 3-1.
The Penguins appeared to make it 3-2 at 9:03 of the third period when Hornqvist tucked a puck underneath Holtby. However, it was not ruled a goal on the ice and the call stood after a review.
Washington trailed 2-0 losing each game at home in its past two playoff series.
"We have a confident group, so we don't get that down," Holtby said. "We believe we can win any game no matter the circumstances. We focus on the task at hand and tonight that was Game 2. Game 1 was a long time ago."
* Connolly's goal at 2:08 of the second period.
* Holtby's save on Hornqvist at 10:56 of the second period.* Ovechkin's goal at 1:26 of the first period.* Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin left the game at 4:23 of the second period following a collision with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. No penalty was called on the play and Dumoulin (upper-body injury) did not return. … Ovechkin scored his 53rd playoff goal, moving into a tie for 47th place on the NHL's all-time list (Bill Barber, Daniel Briere, Stephane Richer, Jeremy Roenick).
"We have to do a better job of being more difficult to play against and limiting some of the chances they get. But having said that, we had a number of quality chances as well. At some point, we have to find a way to score goals. That's something we'll get to work on." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
"We know that they've got guys that can hurt you. Game 1 it was tough, we played a really good game and they just kind of found a way to get some breaks and score some timely goals. I think we learned from that this time around, I think we weren't as loose, I think we were a little more solid as the game went on." -- Capitals forward Brett Connolly on holding onto a two-goal lead
"We knew we let them back the last game," Backstrom said. "That was huge. That's what we wanted to do. That's a big win for us."
Kris Letang scored and Matt Murray made 28 saves for the Penguins.
Vrana finished a pass from Lars Eller with five seconds left on a power play to make it 2-0 at 14:54 of the first for his first playoff goal. The Penguins used a coach's challenge for goalie interference on the play, but the call on the ice stood.
Holtby helped preserve the lead for Washington in the second period when it was outshot 16-6. He stopped Hornqvist, knocking the puck out of the crease with his stick at 10:56 and then stopped Guentzel's rebound chance with a pad save at the left post.
"I thought Braden was real solid all game," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought he made some timely saves. He moved well. They were trying to make everything very difficult and he responded the way he always has."
Letang's point shot at 13:04 of the second made it 3-1.
The Penguins appeared to make it 3-2 at 9:03 of the third period when Hornqvist tucked a puck underneath Holtby. However, it was not ruled a goal on the ice and the call stood after a review.
"We have a confident group, so we don't get that down," Holtby said. "We believe we can win any game no matter the circumstances. We focus on the task at hand and tonight that was Game 2. Game 1 was a long time ago."
* Connolly's goal at 2:08 of the second period.
* Holtby's save on Hornqvist at 10:56 of the second period.* Ovechkin's goal at 1:26 of the first period.* Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin left the game at 4:23 of the second period following a collision with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. No penalty was called on the play and Dumoulin (upper-body injury) did not return. … Ovechkin scored his 53rd playoff goal, moving into a tie for 47th place on the NHL's all-time list (Bill Barber, Daniel Briere, Stephane Richer, Jeremy Roenick).
"We have to do a better job of being more difficult to play against and limiting some of the chances they get. But having said that, we had a number of quality chances as well. At some point, we have to find a way to score goals. That's something we'll get to work on." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan"We know that they've got guys that can hurt you. Game 1 it was tough, we played a really good game and they just kind of found a way to get some breaks and score some timely goals. I think we learned from that this time around, I think we weren't as loose, I think we were a little more solid as the game went on." -- Capitals forward Brett Connolly on holding onto a two-goal lead
Game 3 - Washington Capitals @ Pens 4-3 - Tuesday, May 01, 2018
Alex Ovechkin scored with 1:07 remaining in the third period to give the Washington Capitals a 4-3 win against the Penguins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PPG Paints Arena. Nicklas Backstrom carried the puck on a 2-on-1 before sliding a pass to Ovechkin, who tipped it off the right post. Ovechkin then batted the puck out of midair and past Matt Murray for his fifth goal during a four-game streak.
"I hit the post, and it's a good thing I didn't raise my arms up. I finished up the play and got lucky," Ovechkin said. "It's a huge, huge goal. Obviously for our team, you know we want to win tonight and we did. It doesn't matter what, it doesn't matter who scored. We sacrifice, we play hard and we have to do the same moving forward."
Braden Holtby made 19 saves for his sixth win in seven starts this postseason.
"[The Penguins] had some extended zone time and they almost had some looks, and they were buzzing and they were making us defend," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "There are two good teams going at it right now and there wasn't much room. After two periods, there weren't a lot of shots. … Both teams were battling and pushing.
"This series is what it's going to be. It's going to be nose to nose, keep pushing for inches and working for inches. And it is a game of inches."
"I thought it was a pretty tight game for the most part," Murray said. "Not many shots either way, but every shot seemed to be a chance. It was just one of those kind of games where it could've gone either way. So obviously there's room to improve, but I think for the most part we played a pretty solid game."
After John Carlson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 48 seconds into the second period, Jake Guentzel and Patric Hornqvist scored 2:16 apart to put the Penguins ahead 2-1. Guentzel tied it 1-1 at 4:33 of the second when he redirected Justin Schultz's shot. The goal was Guentzel's second of the series and eighth of the playoffs.
"We played well. We didn't give them a lot," Crosby said. "We've got to make sure we stay out of the box and don't give them a chance on the power play. Other than that, we did some really good things, I thought. Every line was creating pressure and chances. It was just one of those nights where any little breakdown, they capitalized."
* Holtby's save against Brian Dumoulin at 9:26 of the third period.* Crosby's goal at 16:27 of the second period.* The Capitals are 4-0 on the road in the playoffs. They are 2-3 at home. … Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese left at 9:47 of the second period after a dirty hit from Capitals forward Tom Wilson. Sullivan said Aston-Reese has a broken jaw and a concussion, and will need surgery on his jaw. The scumbag Wilson, was seen laughing about it afterwards on the bench, and we can only hope someone does the same to him one day. … Kris Letang's assist on Crosby's goal tied him with Larry Murphy for the most assists by a defenseman in Penguins playoff history (57).
"It's a big win. It was tough sledding out there tonight. It was a physical game. We battled hard and showed a lot of character to come back in the third. ... The guys played really hard. We earned that one." -- Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen
"It's hard to win in the playoffs. No one knows it better than this team. We played a hard-fought game tonight. That game could've went either way. We have to make sure we put it behind us and we look to the next game and try to put our best game forward." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
Braden Holtby made 19 saves for his sixth win in seven starts this postseason.
"[The Penguins] had some extended zone time and they almost had some looks, and they were buzzing and they were making us defend," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "There are two good teams going at it right now and there wasn't much room. After two periods, there weren't a lot of shots. … Both teams were battling and pushing.
"This series is what it's going to be. It's going to be nose to nose, keep pushing for inches and working for inches. And it is a game of inches."
After John Carlson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 48 seconds into the second period, Jake Guentzel and Patric Hornqvist scored 2:16 apart to put the Penguins ahead 2-1. Guentzel tied it 1-1 at 4:33 of the second when he redirected Justin Schultz's shot. The goal was Guentzel's second of the series and eighth of the playoffs.
"It's a big win. It was tough sledding out there tonight. It was a physical game. We battled hard and showed a lot of character to come back in the third. ... The guys played really hard. We earned that one." -- Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen"It's hard to win in the playoffs. No one knows it better than this team. We played a hard-fought game tonight. That game could've went either way. We have to make sure we put it behind us and we look to the next game and try to put our best game forward." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
Game 4 - Washington Capitals @ Pens 1-3 - Thursday, May 03, 2018
Evgeni Malkin scored the tiebreaking goal for the Penguins in a 3-1 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at PPG Paints Arena.
Malkin gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead on the power play at 17:31 of the second period. It was his first goal of the series after not playing in Games 1 and 2 because of a lower-body injury. After getting the rebound of Patric Hornqvist's initial shot, Malkin shot it off the left post and the rebound went along the goal line behind Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby before Malkin dove and pushed it into the net.
"It's not me. It's [Hornqvist]," Malkin said. "He's unbelievable. He stayed in front. … It's unbelievable. I see right away the right side and try to shoot quick, like how I can, and get the puck to go in. It's not from me, it's all [Hornqvist]."
To play was reviewed to determine if the puck crossed the goal line. Capitals coach Barry Trotz then challenged for goaltender interference, and the call was upheld after a video review.
"When I stayed on the ice, I thought it was no goal," Malkin said. "I didn't see the puck cross the line. I got so mad because it's a good chance to score, but after, there's a replay and it's in. It gives me a little more confidence, and I'm glad. I had a great chance last game and it hit the post again. This game is crazy, but it's good like that."
Guentzel gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 9:21 of the second period. After Dominik Simon's shot in the slot was blocked by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen, Guentzel got the puck and scored near the right post.
"[Guentzel is] doing a great job," Crosby said. "I don't think there's any denying that. He works hard. He does a lot of good things with and without the puck. I think he cares more about the wins more than the goals and assists. So he's been a big part of our team's success."
Guentzel leads the NHL with 10 goals and 21 points in the playoffs.
Oshie tied it 1-1 at 12:55 with a power-play goal on a one-timer in the slot off a pass by Nicklas Backstrom.
"We feel positive," Oshie said. "The game ended about seven minutes ago, so you're still a little upset right now, but we'll regroup here. I'm sure we'll look at some film, see what areas they exploited on us and what areas we can take advantage of on them."
Guentzel scored an empty-net goal on the power play to make it 3-1 with 58 seconds remaining in the third period.
* Malkin's goal at 17:31 of the second period.
* Murray's save on Dmitry Orlov at 10:49 of the third period.* Guentzel's goal at 9:21 of the second period.* Washington had three shots on goal in the third period. … Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin did not have a shot on goal. He scored five goals during a four-game goal streak entering Thursday. … Capitals forward Tom Wilson did not play after being suspended three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head on Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese at 9:38 of the second period in Game 3. Devante Smith-Pelly replaced Wilson on the first line. … Penguins forward Carl Hagelin returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury. He had two shots and two blocks in 16:11 of ice time.
"I just think [Guentzel] is a real good hockey player. He's competitive. I think he embraces the important moments. … It isn't anything that he hasn't done before." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
"There was a lot we liked about our game. They're a puck away from being in the lead or a puck away from getting it tied up. We did a lot of good things." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
To play was reviewed to determine if the puck crossed the goal line. Capitals coach Barry Trotz then challenged for goaltender interference, and the call was upheld after a video review.
"When I stayed on the ice, I thought it was no goal," Malkin said. "I didn't see the puck cross the line. I got so mad because it's a good chance to score, but after, there's a replay and it's in. It gives me a little more confidence, and I'm glad. I had a great chance last game and it hit the post again. This game is crazy, but it's good like that."
"[Guentzel is] doing a great job," Crosby said. "I don't think there's any denying that. He works hard. He does a lot of good things with and without the puck. I think he cares more about the wins more than the goals and assists. So he's been a big part of our team's success."
Guentzel leads the NHL with 10 goals and 21 points in the playoffs.
"We feel positive," Oshie said. "The game ended about seven minutes ago, so you're still a little upset right now, but we'll regroup here. I'm sure we'll look at some film, see what areas they exploited on us and what areas we can take advantage of on them."
Guentzel scored an empty-net goal on the power play to make it 3-1 with 58 seconds remaining in the third period.
* Malkin's goal at 17:31 of the second period.
* Murray's save on Dmitry Orlov at 10:49 of the third period.* Guentzel's goal at 9:21 of the second period.* Washington had three shots on goal in the third period. … Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin did not have a shot on goal. He scored five goals during a four-game goal streak entering Thursday. … Capitals forward Tom Wilson did not play after being suspended three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head on Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese at 9:38 of the second period in Game 3. Devante Smith-Pelly replaced Wilson on the first line. … Penguins forward Carl Hagelin returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury. He had two shots and two blocks in 16:11 of ice time.
"I just think [Guentzel] is a real good hockey player. He's competitive. I think he embraces the important moments. … It isn't anything that he hasn't done before." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan"There was a lot we liked about our game. They're a puck away from being in the lead or a puck away from getting it tied up. We did a lot of good things." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
Game 5 - Pens @ Washington Capitals 3-6 - Saturday, May 05, 2018
The Washington Capitals scored four goals in the third period to rally for a 6-3 win against the Penguins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Capital One Arena. After Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby made a pad save on Brian Dumoulin from in front, Jakub Vrana scored into an open net at 15:22 of the third off a pass from Alex Ovechkin to give Washington a 4-3 lead.
"I try to stay cool. [Ovechkin] made a great play there," said Vrana, who had a goal and two assists. "He just put it in front of the net. I was driving the net hard, trying to get the rebound. … Those little inches, sometimes they just kind of win you the game."
Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and two assists, T.J. Oshie had a goal and an assist, and Holtby made 36 saves for Washington. Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist and Jamie Oleksiak scored, and Matt Murray made 26 saves for Pittsburgh.
"Your desperation level is a little higher," Crosby said. "You're aware of the situation and that brings out the best in everybody. We knew it was going to be a tight series. We need to make sure we leave it all out there, give ourselves a chance to get back here."
Kuznetsov scored 52 seconds into the third period on a breakaway off a stretch pass from Vrana to tie it 3-3. Oshie scored into an empty net at 18:29 to make it 5-3 before Lars Eller extended it to 6-3 with an empty-net goal at 19:54.
"Tonight was one of those games where we needed to earn it from our fans," Holtby said. "They probably think 'Here we go again,' and we're not thinking that. We're thinking we're pushing forward, we're focusing on the moment, and hopefully we gave them belief with that third period because this group in here believes in ourselves."
* Vrana's goal at 15:22 of the third period.
* Holtby's save on Dumoulin at 15:13 of the third period.* Kuznetsov's goal 52 seconds into the third period.* Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom left at 6:48 of the third period with an upper-body injury. Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he will be re-evaluated Sunday. … The Penguins had not allowed six goals in a game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since Game 2 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins (a 6-1 loss). … Vrana is the fourth rookie in Capitals history to get three points in a postseason game, joining Sergei Gonchar (Game 1 of 1995 Conference Quarterfinal), Richard Zednik (Game 3 of 1998 Conference Final), and Kuznetsov (Game 5 of 2015 First Round).
"There was a whole lot of this game that we really liked. It might have been our best game of the series and we didn't come out with the result we were looking for. But I know our group is capable and our players know that as well." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan
"I don't know if I could tell you exactly what it would mean. None of us have ever been there. We're just looking to get the job done and maybe after we can talk about the feelings. But right now, we've still got a lot of work to do." -- Capitals forward T.J. Oshie on the Eastern Conference Final
Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and two assists, T.J. Oshie had a goal and an assist, and Holtby made 36 saves for Washington. Sidney Crosby, Patric Hornqvist and Jamie Oleksiak scored, and Matt Murray made 26 saves for Pittsburgh.
Kuznetsov scored 52 seconds into the third period on a breakaway off a stretch pass from Vrana to tie it 3-3. Oshie scored into an empty net at 18:29 to make it 5-3 before Lars Eller extended it to 6-3 with an empty-net goal at 19:54.
* Vrana's goal at 15:22 of the third period.
* Holtby's save on Dumoulin at 15:13 of the third period.* Kuznetsov's goal 52 seconds into the third period.* Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom left at 6:48 of the third period with an upper-body injury. Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he will be re-evaluated Sunday. … The Penguins had not allowed six goals in a game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since Game 2 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins (a 6-1 loss). … Vrana is the fourth rookie in Capitals history to get three points in a postseason game, joining Sergei Gonchar (Game 1 of 1995 Conference Quarterfinal), Richard Zednik (Game 3 of 1998 Conference Final), and Kuznetsov (Game 5 of 2015 First Round).
"There was a whole lot of this game that we really liked. It might have been our best game of the series and we didn't come out with the result we were looking for. But I know our group is capable and our players know that as well." -- Penguins coach Mike Sullivan "I don't know if I could tell you exactly what it would mean. None of us have ever been there. We're just looking to get the job done and maybe after we can talk about the feelings. But right now, we've still got a lot of work to do." -- Capitals forward T.J. Oshie on the Eastern Conference Final
Game 6 - Washington Capitals @ Pens 2-1 OT - Monday, May 07, 2018
Evgeny Kuznetsov scored at 5:27 of overtime, and the Washington Capitals advanced to the Eastern Conference Final with a 2-1 win against the Penguins in Game 6 of the second round at PPG Paints Arena. Alex Ovechkin passed to Kuznetsov, who split the defense before beating goaltender Matt Murray five-hole on a breakaway. Kuznetsov had four points (two goals, two assists) in the past two games.
"I see [Kuznetsov] was over there and I just put the puck in space and he did what he does best," Ovechkin said. "It feels great. Never been this position before and I'm looking forward to [the conference final]."
The Capitals, who lost to the Penguins in the second round in each of the previous two Stanley Cup Playoffs, will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first conference final since 1998.
Alex Chiasson scored, and Braden Holtby made 21 saves for Washington.
Kris Letang scored, and Murray made 28 saves for Pittsburgh, which was the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion and lost for the first time in five games when facing elimination since hiring coach Mike Sullivan on Dec. 12, 2015.
"I think sometimes we all learn more from our failures than we do our successes," Sullivan said. "I think this group knows how hard it is to win in the playoffs. All the teams are really good. There's a fine line between winning and losing. We haven't tasted this in a long time, and that's a credit to the group of players that is in that dressing room."
Chiasson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 2:13 of the second period. Nathan Walker skated the puck behind the net before passing to Chiasson, who beat Murray short side on a one-timer from the right circle. The goal was Chiasson's first point in the playoffs (12 games) and first since 2014 when he played for the Dallas Stars. With the assist, Walker became the first Australian to get a point in the playoffs. Jakub Vrana had an opportunity to extend the lead to 2-0 on a partial breakaway at 6:17, but Murray made a blocker save on his wrist shot. Letang tied it 1-1 with a slap shot from the point that deflected off Chandler Stephenson's stick and past Holtby's blocker at 11:52 of the second.
Sidney Crosby had a chance to give the Penguins the lead when he deflected a pass from Bryan Rust on goal 17:26 of the third period. Holtby made the save on Crosby's initial shot and Patric Hornqvist missed on the rebound.
"It's hard to get there, regardless of winning two years prior," Crosby said. "I know everyone talked about [winning a third straight championship], but just getting in there and how hard it is, especially with the group we have, a lot of the same guys that have been together for a couple of them, that's what you play for. It's the best time of year. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done."
* Kuznetsov's goal at 5:27 of overtime.
* Holtby's save on Justin Schultz with seven seconds left in the second period.* Letang's goal at 11:52 of the second period.* Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom did not play with an upper-body injury he sustained in the third period of Game 5. Lars Eller replaced him on the second line. Backstrom is day to day. … Capitals forward Travis Boyd had one shot and two blocks in 12:12 of ice time in his NHL playoff debut. … Crosby, who had an assist on Letang's goal, has 185 playoff points (66 goals, 119 assists), tying Steve Yzerman for 10th all-time. … Washington won a playoff series against Pittsburgh for the first time since the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (2-9).
"This group has been resilient. … The great thing about this is all day I knew we were going to win. I don't know why, but this group has a lot of resiliency. And first of all, there are some great champions in that other room, great players. What they've done and accomplished the last couple years is pretty remarkable. This is a tough league." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz
"They were just the better team. I thought they played a heck of a game tonight. It didn't feel like we really had many chances at all. They're a great team and they showed it. They deserved to win tonight." -- Penguins goalie Matt Murray
The Capitals, who lost to the Penguins in the second round in each of the previous two Stanley Cup Playoffs, will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in their first conference final since 1998.
Alex Chiasson scored, and Braden Holtby made 21 saves for Washington.
Kris Letang scored, and Murray made 28 saves for Pittsburgh, which was the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion and lost for the first time in five games when facing elimination since hiring coach Mike Sullivan on Dec. 12, 2015.
"I think sometimes we all learn more from our failures than we do our successes," Sullivan said. "I think this group knows how hard it is to win in the playoffs. All the teams are really good. There's a fine line between winning and losing. We haven't tasted this in a long time, and that's a credit to the group of players that is in that dressing room."
Chiasson gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 2:13 of the second period. Nathan Walker skated the puck behind the net before passing to Chiasson, who beat Murray short side on a one-timer from the right circle. The goal was Chiasson's first point in the playoffs (12 games) and first since 2014 when he played for the Dallas Stars. With the assist, Walker became the first Australian to get a point in the playoffs. Jakub Vrana had an opportunity to extend the lead to 2-0 on a partial breakaway at 6:17, but Murray made a blocker save on his wrist shot. Letang tied it 1-1 with a slap shot from the point that deflected off Chandler Stephenson's stick and past Holtby's blocker at 11:52 of the second.
Sidney Crosby had a chance to give the Penguins the lead when he deflected a pass from Bryan Rust on goal 17:26 of the third period. Holtby made the save on Crosby's initial shot and Patric Hornqvist missed on the rebound.
"It's hard to get there, regardless of winning two years prior," Crosby said. "I know everyone talked about [winning a third straight championship], but just getting in there and how hard it is, especially with the group we have, a lot of the same guys that have been together for a couple of them, that's what you play for. It's the best time of year. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done."
* Kuznetsov's goal at 5:27 of overtime.
* Holtby's save on Justin Schultz with seven seconds left in the second period.* Letang's goal at 11:52 of the second period.* Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom did not play with an upper-body injury he sustained in the third period of Game 5. Lars Eller replaced him on the second line. Backstrom is day to day. … Capitals forward Travis Boyd had one shot and two blocks in 12:12 of ice time in his NHL playoff debut. … Crosby, who had an assist on Letang's goal, has 185 playoff points (66 goals, 119 assists), tying Steve Yzerman for 10th all-time. … Washington won a playoff series against Pittsburgh for the first time since the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (2-9).
"This group has been resilient. … The great thing about this is all day I knew we were going to win. I don't know why, but this group has a lot of resiliency. And first of all, there are some great champions in that other room, great players. What they've done and accomplished the last couple years is pretty remarkable. This is a tough league." -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz"They were just the better team. I thought they played a heck of a game tonight. It didn't feel like we really had many chances at all. They're a great team and they showed it. They deserved to win tonight." -- Penguins goalie Matt Murray
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