NHL ROUNDUP

Capitals 6, Penguins 3

Jakub Vrana scored the go-ahead goal with 4:38 remaining, Braden Holtby made 35 saves and Washington beat Pittsburgh in Game 5 Saturday night to take a 3-2 lead in the second-round 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 Smith-Pelly 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’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 Washington to erase Pittsburgh’s 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. Washington put Pittsburgh on the brink despite playing without star center Nicklas Backstrom for much of the third period. With Lars Eller double-shifting, the Capitals took control of the game and iced it on empty-netters by T.J. Oshie and Eller.

Late Friday Golden Knights 5, Sharks 3

Alex Tuch scored twice to lead Vegas to a victory over San Jose, giving the Golden Knights a 3-2 series lead in their Western Conference semifinal. James Neal, Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault also scored for Vegas. Veteran goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 shots, making save after highlight save until things got interesting late in the third period. With San Jose trailing 4-0, Kevin Labanc, Tomas Hertl and Boedker scored in a 6:09 span to pull the Sharks within one with 4:16 remaining. However, Marchessault’s empty-netter with 21 seconds left sealed it for Vegas. Martin Jones allowed four goals on 31 shots before being pulled in the third. Aaron Dell came on and stopped all six shots he faced. From a spectacular glove save on Mikkel Boedker’s point blank shot in the first period, to a pair of back-toback saves before and after being knocked into the goal midway through the second period, or an incredible pad save on Tomas Hertl early in the third, Fleury was dialed in from the start. Neal made sure the Golden Knights didn’t head into the locker room empty-handed after a strong first period. Logan Couture blocked Shea Theodore’s shot from the point, with the rebound going right to Neal, who drilled it past Jones to give Vegas the lead with 3 seconds left in the period. Tuch made it 2-0 when he was in perfect position in front of the net, where he tapped in Reilly Smith’s rebound past Jones on the power play.