Caps Complete Weekend Sweep, Blank Penguins, 3-0
The Penguins iced a more regular lineup for yesterday’s matinee clash with the Capitals at Capital One Arena. Indeed, big guns Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust all returned to the lineup along with Parker Wotherspoon after sitting out Saturday’s loss to the Caps.
While the Pens were much more competitive, at least in terms of shot activity, the results were pretty much the same.
The Caps snapped a scoreless tie at 12:22 of the second period when light-scoring Trevor van Riemsdyk jammed the puck past Stuart Skinner from a goal-mouth scramble. Precisely the type of greasy goal the Pens are used to scoring.
It remained a one-goal affair until 15:50 of the third period. With Letang and partner Sam Girard pressing, the Caps countered on a 2-on-1. Egor Chinakhov tried to do what he could to break up the play, but Connor McMichael took a clean pass from Ryan Leonard and beat Skinner on the backhand.
When Pens coach Dan Muse pulled Stu for the obligatory extra attacker moments later, McMichael struck for his second of the game on an empty-netter to make the final count 3-zip, bad guys.