Casey DeSmith Comes Up Big, Penguins Come Up Bigger in Win Over Capitals
The Pittsburgh Penguins tighten their grasp on a playoff position with an important win over a fierce rival.
PITTSBURGH - It was rivalry night at PPG Paints Arena as the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals for the first and only time in the 2022-23 season.
Other final scores around the NHL made this game carry a little more important for the Penguins.
Both the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders lost in regulation setting the stage for another instalment in the Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin rivalry.
The crowd brought a playoff atmosphere and the Penguins brought a sluggish start.
Through the opening couple of minutes, the Penguins struggled to get a shot on goal and eventually went 0/2 on the power play through the first 20 mintues.
The Penguins did up the intensity and started to get shots off, but no finishing ability as the first period ended without a goal from either team.
The start of the second period was a lot of the same sloppy and broken play from the Penguins, but the switch was flipped in the second half of the frame.
Unlikely candidates Ryan Poehling and Chad Ruhwedel helped give the Penguins a two-goal lead.
Poehling shot out of a cannon, utilizing his speed for an semi-breakaway goal, while Ruhwedel placed a perfect shot over Darcy Kuemper.
At the other end of the ice Casey DeSmith looked to earn the starting job with not one, not two, but three outstanding saves.
Ovechkin was involved in two of DeSmith’s highlight reel saves.
Jake Guentzel got in on the fun in the opening 30 seconds of the third period with a power play goal to put the Penguins up by three.
As the animosity continued, the Capitals got a goal back during a 4-on-4 situation.
With a power play opportunity with a little over six minutes to play, Ovechkin scored one of his trademark slap shot goals to pull the Capitals within one.
The Penguins can never make it easy, though, and that's been the story of the season.
With under three minutes to play, the Capitals tied the contest, completely nullifying the 3-0 lead the Penguins had to start the third period.
Evgeni Malkin made sure the tie game didn't last long with a huge steal for his own partial breakaway goal.
The Capitals pulled the goalie in the closing seconds but it wasn't enough as DeSmith and the Penguins held on for a huge 4-3 victory.
Not just a win over a rival, but a win to keep a good grasp on their spot in the wild card race.
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