WASHINGTON (AP) – Patric Hornqvist, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel scored in a 4:49 span of the third period to help the Pittsburgh Penguins rally to for a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night in Game 1 of the second-round series.
Down 2-0 and playing without Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin, Pittsburgh turned it around with all three of its top-line forwards chipping in a goal. Crosby scored the tying goal when the puck bounced to him off Alex Ovechkin’s stick, and assisted on Guentzel’s go-ahead goal.
Matt Murray stopped 32 of the 34 shots he faced to put the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions ahead in yet another series with Game 2 on Sunday in Washington. The Penguins have won nine in a row under coach Mike Sullivan dating to 2016, including the past two meetings against Washington.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his goal during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Washington. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 17 seconds in and Ovechkin beat Murray 28 seconds into the third period for the Capitals, who lost a game started by Braden Holtby for the first time in these playoffs.
Holtby allowed three goals on 25 shots.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7, SHARKS 0
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 shots for his third shutout of the playoffs, and the Vegas beat San Jose in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Cody Eakin, Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault scored 1:31 apart early in the first period to get Vegas going. Alex Tuch, Shea Theodore, Colin Miller and James Neal also scored, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson each had three assists, and Marchessault and David Perron added two each.
Fleury, who improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, got his 13th career shutout in the playoffs – and second straight. He also blanked Los Angeles 1-0 in Game 4 of the first round.
The Golden Knights have now outscored opponents 14-3 in five games in the postseason.
Sharks goalie Martin Jones, who stopped 128 of 132 shots in the first round against the Ducks, was pulled a little more than three minutes into the second period after allowing five goals on 13 shots. Backup goalie Aaron Dell came in and finished with 19 saves.
Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, center, reacts after a goal by Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, right, during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Washington. Also seen are Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia; and defenseman Matt Niskanen (2); and Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist (72), of Sweden. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) celebrates with right wing Patric Hornqvist (72), of Sweden; right wing Phil Kessel (81); center Dominik Simon (12); and others after Game 1 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Washington. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Pittsburgh Penguins center Jake Guentzel (59) celebrates his goal with center Sidney Crosby (87) and defenseman Justin Schultz (4) during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series as Washington Capitals right wing T.J. Oshie (77) skates away Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Washington. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, skates against Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL second-round hockey playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Washington. The Penguins won 3-2. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) blocks a shot by the San Jose Sharks during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) celebrates with left wing James Neal after the Golden Knights defeated the San Jose Sharks 7-0 in Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore, center, celebrates after scoring against the San Jose Sharks during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (31) blocks a shot by Vegas Golden Knights left wing William Carrier (28) during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Vegas Golden Knights left wing James Neal (18) celebrates after his team scored against the San Jose Sharks during the first period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey second-round playoff series, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
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