Pens down Caps in OT

In Washington, DC, Kasperi Kapanen put home the game-winner in extra time Tuesday night to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 win over the Capitals.

Tristan Jarry got the win for Pittsburgh Penguins

“I think they had a chance in our zone and kind of went along the boards,” Kapanen said. “Teddy did a good job picking it up and I was trying to yell out that we have a 2-on-1 and he just found me really well. He faked a shot, gave it to me, and I just tried to go short side and [was] lucky enough it went in.”

Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin bookended the Capitals two goals.

“I thought it was one of our more complete games of the year,” Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan said. “That’s what I told the guys at the end of the game. I thought we were playing the game hard.

“We were trying to play the right way. It wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but there aren’t too many games that are.”

Tristan Jarry made 20 saves in the win.

“I think it was a good time to have a conversation with him and kind of reset and look at the past games that I’ve played, which obviously haven’t been good enough,” Kapanen said. “Just kind of talking about what he expects out of me and to play with [Sidney Crosby] and Jake, it’s obviously a privilege. I think our line played better today and I felt like I took strides forward in the right direction, but there’s still room to improve.”

Richard Panik and Conor Sheary were the Caps’ strikers in the second period.

“We don’t like losing to those guys,” Washington’s Tom Wilson said. “These are big points, big games, and I think if we put a little more emphasis into the full 60-minute game, maybe we can get an upper hand and get a goal lead or something like that.

“That being said, if it goes to OT, we’ve got to get it done. But it’s a bit of a crapshoot at that point.”

Vitek Vanecek made 34 saves in the loss.

“I think tonight we kind of had a slow start. I don’t know what it was, maybe heavy legs or something like that,” Sheary said. “But I think we got going a little bit better in the second and then the third was kind of an even period I thought.

“I think we obviously will take a point, but we know we have better and we’ll bring that on Thursday.”