PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Washington Capitals 5-3 on Friday night, a game marred by special teams failures for Washington despite a late rally. Pittsburgh capitalized on three power-play goals, ultimately proving the difference in a contest where the Capitals battled back from a three-goal deficit.
The Capitals erased a 3-0 deficit in the second period, fueled by contributions from Alex Ovechkin, who recorded two assists, and Dylan Strome, who factored into all three Washington goals. Though, the team’s power play struggles continued to plague them.
“[You] can’t ask for much more in the second half of that second period,” noted one observer of the Capitals’ comeback effort.
Despite the offensive surge, Washington’s penalty kill faltered, and goaltender Charlie Lindgren faced scrutiny for his performance, especially on Anthony Mantha’s goal. Concerns were raised about Lindgren’s form since opening the season with a shutout, and reports indicated he was playing while injured.
Rasmus Sandin’s return from injury provided a boost to the Capitals’ lineup, with the defenseman registering four points (one goal, three assists) in his last five games. Ryan Leonard also impressed, prompting discussion about a potential lineup promotion during the current road trip.
The game’s decisive moment came late in the third period when a breakdown in communication between Martin Fehervary and John Carlson on the penalty kill led to pittsburgh’s game-winning goal. Carlson’s preceding turnover further compounded the error.
“Zero communication from Martin Fehervary and John Carlson on Pittsburgh’s game-winning goal,” a report detailed.”Both defenders casually peeling around the net to end up on the same side while killing a penalty.”
The Capitals’ special teams were described as “unacceptably terrible” to start the season.
Washington (1-2-1) continues its road trip with a saturday night game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by visits to the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.
