In a Game 3 battle, the Pittsburgh Penguins were getting hit left and right with injuries to key players that would leave them shorthanded for most of the game.
Sidney Crosby took a cross check to the head during the first period and had to be
helped off the ice.
Washington found themselves on a five-on-three powerplay late in the first and Nicklas Backstrom found the back of the net with a lucky bounce off a Penguins’ defender for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
During the second period Connor Sheary took a vicious hit by his own teammate Patric Hornqvist and he also had to leave the game and didn’t return.
Early into the middle frame, the Penguins had many chances being stopped on the door step and even having a goal waved off.
At the end of the second, the score was 1-0 in favor of the Capitals and the Penguins seemed to be drowning.
Just over halfway into the third period Evgeny Kuznetsov used his soft hands to wait for Marc-Andre Fleury to bite on the deke before roofing it in the top corner of the net for his third goal of the playoffs.
The Penguins’ hopes were dwindling and with just under three minutes left Mike Sullivan called a timeout to pull Fleury for an extra attacker.
With just under two minutes left in the third, Evgeni Malkin scored off a one-timer from Phil Kessel for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Just 48 seconds later with the goalie still pulled Malkin passed a one-timer to Justin Schultz who ripped it from the point for his first goal of the playoffs and the game tying goal evened the score, 2-2.
Early into overtime, the Capitals drew a penalty on Trevor Daley and Kevin Shattenkirk received a pass from Backstrom and buried his first goal of the playoffs for the OT winner.
Both Fleury and Braden Holtby were both outstanding for their respective teams, but in the end the Capitals capitalized in overtime to win the game 3-2 bringing the series to a 2-1 Pittsburgh lead.

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