Vrana goal gives Caps series lead over Pens

Jakub Vrana scored the go-ahead goal with 4:38 remaining, Braden Holtby made 35 saves and the Capitals beat the Penguins 6-3 in Game 5 on Saturday night in Washington to take a 3-2 lead in the secondround series and put the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions on the brink of elimination.

Vrana made coach Barry Trotz look like a genius for moving him to the top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, replacing Devante SmithPelly in the second period. Vrana sprung Kuznetsov for a breakaway on Washington’s tying goal 52 seconds into the third and finished off Ovechkin’s pass for the game-winner.

The Capitals are one victory from advancing to the Eastern Conference final for the first time in the Ovechkin era and overall since 1998, when they reached the Stanley Cup Final. They can move on to face the winner of the Lightning-Bruins series if they win Game 6 Monday in Pittsburgh.

They’re up on the Penguins on the strength of Ovechkin’s offense and the goaltending of Holtby, who kept them in the game for long stretches when the Penguins were pressing. Holtby was at his best when the Capitals were outshot 18-5 in the second period.

John Carlson and Brett Connolly scored 33 seconds apart in the first period for the Capitals to erase the Penguins’ lead from Jamie Oleksiak’s goal. Several penalties allowed Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist to score power-play goals that put the Penguins ahead until Trotz’s switch paid dividends with Vrana’s assist.

The Capitals put the Penguins on the brink despite playing without star center Nicklas Backstrom for much of the third period. With Lars Eller doubleshifting, the Capitals took control of the game and iced it on empty-netters by T.J. Oshie and Eller.

The Capitals took a 3-2 series lead on the Penguins for the first time in four playoff series dating to 2009. They needed to erase a 3-1 deficit just to force a Game 7 last year.

The NHL told Brad Marchand to stop licking opponents or the Bruins forward will face punishment. Senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell spoke to Marchand and Bruins GM Don Sweeney on Saturday about Marchand’s actions. Marchand licked Lightning forward Ryan Callahan on the face during Game 4 of their secondround series after appearing to do the same to the Maple Leafs’ Leo Komarov earlier in the playoffs.