Caps put two-time defending champs on brink of elimination
Jakub Vrana scored the go-ahead goal with 4:38 remaining, Braden Holtby made 35 saves and the Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 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.
JETS 6, PREDATORS 2 >> Kyle Connor scored a pair goals and added an assist for Winnipeg, which took a 3-2 lead in its second-round playoff series.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 38 saves. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne allowed all six goals and was replaced by Juuse Saros in the third quarter. MARCHAND RECEIVES WARNING FROM LEAGUE >> The NHL has told Brad Marchand to stop licking opponents or the Boston forward will face punishment.
Senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell spoke to Marchand and Bruins GM Don Sweeney about Marchand’s actions against Tampa Bay a night earlier. Marchand licked Lightning forward Ryan Callahan during Game 4 of their second-round series after appearing to do the same to Toronto’s Leo Komarov earlier in the playoffs.
The league says Marchand has been put on notice that his actions are unacceptable and that similar behavior in the future will be dealt with through supplemental discipline.