Round 2 - Game 3
Series tied 1-1
Tue. May 1 Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins
Place: PPG Paints Arena
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: NBCSN, SN, TVAS2
Radio: 106.7 The Fan, Capitals Radio 24/7
NHL.COM for Live Box Score
Last Game: Apr 29 Capitals Won 4-1 in regulation
8-Ovechkin 92-Kuznetsov 43-Wilson
18-Stephenson 19-Bäckström 77-Oshie
10-Connolly 20-Eller 25-Smith-Pelly
13-Vrana 83-Beagle 39-Chiasson
9-Orlov 2-Niskanen
6-Kempny 74-Carlson
44-Orpik 29-Djoos
70-Holtby (starter)
31-Grubauer
-- SCRATCH --
65-Burakovsky ("upper-body")
63-Gersich
72-Boyd
64-Pinho
28-Jerabek
22-Bowey
1-Copley
-- 1st Powerplay Unit --
20-Eller 19-Bäckström 92-Kuznetsov
8-Ovechkin 74-Carlson
-- 2nd Powerplay Unit --
13-Vrana 18-Stephenson 10-Connolly
2-Niskanen 9-Orlov
Referees: Kevin Pollock (#33), Francois St. Laurent (#38)
Linesmen: Greg Devorski (#54), Ryan Gibbons (#58)
Pittsburgh’s expected lineup Forwards Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
Dominik Simon - Evgeny Malkin - Bryan Rust
Zach Aston-Reese - Riley Sheahan - Phil Kessel
Connor Sheary - Derick Brassard - Tom Kuhnhackl
Defensemen Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang
Olli Maatta - Justin Schultz
Jamie Oleksiak - Chad Ruhwedel
Goaltenders Murray
Casey DeSmith
Scratches: Carter Rowney
Carl Hagelin (upper-body) or Dominik Simon
Matt Hunwick
1st PeriodNone
2nd Period00:48 PP GOAL 74-Carlson, assists 19-Bäckström & 8-Ovechkin 1-0 WSH
04:33 Hens GOAL Guentzel, assists Schultz & Crosby 1-1 TIE
06:49 Hens PP GOAL Hornquivst, assists Malkin & Kessel 2-1 PIT
11:04 GOAL 18-Stephenson, assists 77-Oshie & 19-Bäckström 2-2 TIE
16:27 Hens GOAL Crosby, assists Guentzel & Letang 3-2 PIT
3rd Period05:06 GOAL 2-Niskanen, assists 9-Orlov & 43-Wilson 3-3 TIE
18:53 GOAL 8-Ovechkin, assist 19-Bäckström 4-3 WSH
FINAL: 4-3 WSH
by Isabelle Khurshudyan, Roman Stubbs, Scott Allen and Neil Greenberg May 1 at 12:17 PM
2018 NHL playoffs: Capitals-Penguins Game 3 analysis
Evgeni Malkin has yet to play in the Penguins’ second-round series against the Capitals. (Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)
Game 3
Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Series: Tied 1-1
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, PPG Paints Arena
TV: NBCSN
Remaining schedule
Game 3: at Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m. Tuesday May 1
Game 4: at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Thursday May 3
Game 5: at Washington, 7 p.m. Saturday May 5
Game 6 (if necessary): at Pittsburgh, TBD Monday May 7
Game 7 (if necessary): at Washington, TBD Wednesday May 9
- Penguins center Evgeni Malkin could return to the lineup from his “lower-body” injury on Tuesday. (Read more)
- Capitals depth forward Devante Smith-Pelly is showing why he has a reputation for strong playoff performances. (Read more)
- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is talented, but it’s his practice habits that set him apart. (Read more)
Top story lines
by Isabelle Khurshudyan and Roman Stubbs
Injuries: Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday that center Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Brian Dumoulin and Carl Hagelin are all game-time decisions for Game 3. Malkin, who has been out of the lineup for three games since suffering a lower-body injury in Pittsburgh’s first round series against Philadelphia, was also considered a game-time decision before Game 2 before getting scratched on Sunday. He took part in the team’s morning skate on Tuesday and was wearing a regular contact jersey, as was Dumoulin, who exited Game 2 after absorbing a blow to the head in a collision with Washington’s Tom Wilson. Dumoulin told reporters he went through the league’s concussion protocol during the game. He took a little contact during practice on Tuesday in drills with assistant coach Sergei Gonchar.
“It was good to get out there and take a hit from Gonch or two, kind of go through that a little bit,” he said afterward. “I’m just going to keep going through today like normal and try to come here ready to play.”
Hagelin, who has an upper body injury and did not travel to Washington for Games 1 and 2, was in a noncontact jersey Tuesday and was one of the last players off the ice after the morning skate. Pittsburgh has missed Hagelin’s speed since he was injured in the final game of the first round series win over Philadelphia, something that Sullivan touched on in his brief news conference on Tuesday.
“Well, he brings a certain dimension to our team, I think, that makes us a better hockey team, that being his speed, his puck pursuit, and he utilizes it in so many ways. He utilizes it offensively by chasing defensemen down and forcing turnovers, creating opportunities for his line-mates,” Sullivan said. “He has the ability to catch the rush if we get caught in the offensive zone. So, he utilizes it defensively as well. He utilizes it on the penalty kill. So I think the dimension that [Hagelin] brings to our team, he certainly he increases our team speed, which we think is one of the competitive advantages that we have.”
Tom Wilson: The Penguins can’t be pleased that Wilson wasn’t suspended for his high hit on Dumoulin. The NHL’s department of player safety deemed Wilson’s contact with Dumoulin unavoidable because of how Dumoulin changed position before the hit, but tensions between two teams who already don’t like each other could be elevated at puck drop. Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan was asked whether his team would look for retribution against Wilson. “We’re just going to play the game,” he said.
Secondary scoring: With Malkin likely back in the lineup for Game 3, the Penguins are getting a considerable boost to their forward depth. Derick Brassard was acquired before the trade deadline to center Pittsburgh’s third line, and now the Penguins have offensive firepower deep in their lineup with the trio of Brassard (21 goals), Conor Sheary (18 goals) and Bryan Rust (13 goals). That’ll be a challenge for Washington’s third pairing of Brooks Orpik and Christian Djoos, especially as Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan controls the matchups at PPG Paints Arena for the next two games. Washington benefited with goals from Brett Connolly and Jakub Vrana last game, and the team’s bottom-six forwards will need to continue chipping in for the Capitals to have a chance of advancing.
Players to watch
Devante Smith-Pelly: The Capitals signed Smith-Pelly to a league minimum deal in free agency after his contract was bought out by the New Jersey Devils. He was a bargain addition who’s paid dividends, especially in the postseason, where he already has scored two goals. Forward Brett Connolly described him as looking like a “new player” right now. Smith-Pelly has a history of performing in the playoffs. Four years ago, he scored five goals in 12 games with Anaheim. He scored seven goals and nine assists in 75 games with the Capitals this season, and Washington is pleased with the physicality he’s brought to the third line in the postseason.
“We’ve had a number of discussions about being consistent, being present every game, having impact, how you have impact, what’s your skill set,” Trotz said. “Come playoff time, I think what you see is you see the skill set come out, but you also see the ability to get to those hard areas on a consistent basis. He’s got a really good hockey IQ. He’s got a high commitment level when it comes to defending and battling and working for space. I think in the playoffs, all those factors are magnified, so his game when it’s ramped up and magnified, it sort of tends to fit into a playoff type of structure and the atmosphere.”
Kris Letang: A year ago, Letang watched Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup run from afar, out for the entire postseason because he needed surgery for a herniated disk in his neck. Though this wasn’t his best season — he had nine goals and 42 assists in 79 games — he’s a key cog to a defense that’s experienced turnover with Ian Cole, Trevor Daley and Ron Hainsey gone from the championship-winning blueline. Letang scored his second goal of the playoffs in Game 2 against Washington, and with eight points in eight playoff games, he’s still a considerable threat.
Pregame reading
Immerse yourself in the Capitals’ postseason with The Post’s coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs:
The subtle secret to Sidney Crosby’s greatnessNo suspension for Capitals’ Tom Wilson after hit on Penguins’ Brian DumoulinSpeedy Jakub Vrana could be the Capitals’ X-factor — if he gets on the iceWith a bit of luck — and a lot of Braden Holtby — the Capitals tie up the seriesPenguins leave town fuming after Game 2 loss to the CapitalsHow the Capitals improved their defensive play in time for the postseason‘When the pressure is on,’ so is Penguins goalie Matt MurrayA two-goal lead is hockey’s most dangerous. For the Capitals, it’s a grenade.Capitals and Penguins: A landscape of pain and agony‘We’re actually quite excited about it’: Caps want their Cup quest to go through PensFor the Capitals to make a leap, Braden Holtby must provide safety in netSo they meet again: Five top moments in the Alex Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby rivalryNo doubt: Capitals’ Braden Holtby kept his confidence amid a season of struggles These Penguins fans have more sympathy than hatred for the CapitalsFancy Stats: Three reasons this Capitals-Penguins series will be different
