Penguins eliminate Capitals
PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh’s Nick Bonino scored 6:32 minutes into overtime to give the Penguins a 4-3 win over Washington on Tuesday, clinching the hotly contested NHL Eastern Conference semi-final in six games and eliminating the team which had been the Stanley Cup title favourites.
The Capitals rallied from a three-goal deficit over the final 22 minutes of regulation, but Bonino’s second goal of the playoffs sent the Penguins to the Eastern Conference final against Tampa Bay.
Washington goaltender Braden Holtby made the initial stop on Carl Hagelin’s shot but Bonino, camped right outside the crease, tapped in the winner.
Washington forward Jay Beagle made a remarkable save with his belly in front of the net on Patric Hornqvist’s shot early in overtime but there was no stopping Bonino’s tap-in.
Phil Kessel scored twice for Pittsburgh and Hagelin added a goal for Pittsburgh while rookie Matt Murray made 36 saves.
TJ Oshie, Justin Williams and John Carlson scored during Washington’s comeback, but it wasn’t enough.
Kessel gave the Penguins the lead 5:41 minutes into the first with a wrist shot that whizzed by Holtby’s blocker for his fourth goal of the play-offs.
The Penguins then dominated much of the next 20 minutes with nothing to show for it until Washington defenceman Brooks Orpik drew a double minor penalty for high-sticking Patric Hornqvist.
Kessel made it 2-0 by faking a shot from the circle then deking past a sprawled Holtby 7:05 minutes into the second. Hagelin pushed Pittsburgh’s lead to three 33 seconds later by deflecting Maatta’s shot from the point.
Oshie’s power-play goal with 1:30 minutes left in the second gave the Capitals a chance, but seemingly not much. The Penguins came in 44-0 when leading after two periods, but looked shaky in this one.
Williams put in a wraparound past Murray 7:23 minutes into the third.
Carlson’s fifth play-off goal, a shot that bounced and skipped by Murray during a 5-on-3 power play, tied the game with 6:59 minutes to play.