No Malkin, no problem? - Part Two

PPG Paints Arena / MF (good luck now, no?)

By: MF, 

Welcome back to Game Two between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals! The Penguins took Game One, 3-2 and lead the series 1-0.

This will be a big game for both teams. The Capitals are looking to bounce back in this one, while the Penguins are wanting to keep their foot on the gas pedal.

Nothing will change for the Penguins in this game. They will still be without Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin.

The Penguins have to stay focused, play smart, and keep on the pressure. Lets Go Pens!

The Pens lineup is as follows:

Forwards
Guentzel - Crosby - Hornqvist
Simon - Sheahan - Kessel
Sheary - Brassard - Rust
Aston-Reese - Rowney - Kuhnhackl

Defense
Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Schultz
Oleksiak -  Ruhwedel

Murray in the net!

Play - by - Play
Pens 1 Capitals 4

3rd Period
0:00 - That does it for this game. The Capitals get the 4-1 win and tie the series 1-1. We are headed back to Pittsburgh now.

0:06 - Nicklas Backstrom scores an empty-netter. He fires into the empty net. 4-1 Capitals

1:19 - The Pens empty their net once again.

1:41 - Power play time expires for the Pens.

1:43 - Hornqvist and Smith-Pelly get tangled up in front of the net. They both head to the box.

2:44 - Empty net for the Pens.

3:12 - Power play time for the Pens for 1:31.

3:41 - 29 seconds of four-on-four hockey. Kuznetsov to the box for slashing.

5:12 - Another penalty to the Pens. This time Brassard. Penalty killing time. On a side note, the officiating has been terrible. Inconsistency strikes once again.

6:23 - Solid penalty kill for the Pens.

8:23 - Capitals getting a power play. Letang to the box.

8:47 - Murray robs Chandler Stephenson on a breakaway chance.

10:57 - Crosby goes for the wrap around, but it doesn't quite get there. Hornqvist helps it the rest of the way. Holtby puts his skate at the pole to try and keep the puck out. The referees take a long look and call it a no goal. Terrible call once again by the NHL. Even the NBC announcers show a picture to show that it was a goal. Come on.

12:22 - The power play time expires.

14:22 - T.J. Oshie is ticketed with interference. A power play chance for the Pens.

15:57 - Crosby's shot goes up into the netting. Decent start for the Pens.

19:59 - No Dumoulin.

20:00 - We are back for the third period! The Pens need to keep up the pressure. Lets Go Pens!


2nd Period
0:00 - That does it for the second period. 3-1 Capitals.

3:44 - Devante Smith-Pelly gets a step on Ruhwedel and goes right to the front of the net. He loses his edge on the play and ends up running into Murray.

5:54 - Crosby missed a chance on a wide open net. The puck just jumped off his stick!

6:56 - LETANG SCORES! Letang fires a hard shot from the point with traffic in front. His shot blows past Holtby. 3-1 Capitals

8:46 - Hornqvist and Dmitry Orlov exchange some blows. Both get roughing minors. Four-on-four hockey time.

9:02 - Guentzel is absolutely robbed by Holtby.

15:04 - Now Guentzel is holding his left arm close to him. He goes to the bench in some discomfort.

15:34 - Dumoulin goes down hard onto the ice and the trainer comes out to him. He skates to the bench and goes to the locker room. Tom Wilson came up behind and put his shoulder right into Dumoulin's head, while Ovechkin hit him from the other side. Dirty hit by Wilson.

17:53 - Brett Connolly scores. Another bad turnover to the Pens allows for Connolly to get a breakaway chance. He targets the high-glove side of Murray. Murray gets a piece of the puck, but not enough. 3-0 Capitals

20:00 - Time for the second period! The Pens have to clean up their game and put on the pressure. Murray cannot do it all. Lets Go Pens!


1st Period
0:00 - The first period comes to an end. 2-0 Capitals.

1:48 - Murray is getting a workout.

5:06 - Jakub Vrana scores on the power play. Vrana stickhandles right to the front/side of the net. He puts his shot high-glove. The Pens challenge for goalie interference. The call stands. 2-0 Capitals

7:01 - Now the Capitals get a power play chance as Crosby takes a seat for hooking.

7:53 - Finally some offensive pressure by the Pens. Holtby came up with some great saves.

8:48 - Crosby's line gets some offensive pressure going. Braden Holtby ends up robbing Crosby in front.

9:57 - The Pens are a turning over way too many pucks. Just unreal.

11:03 - A terrible power play for the Pens. It looked like the Capitals were on the power play instead. Murray had to hold down the fort.

13:03 - Pens to the power play as Kuznetsov goes off for tripping.

13:55 - Niskanen's shot from the slot is saved by the blocker of Murray. Really solid save. The Capitals are pinning the Pens in their own zone.

14:43 - Similar to Game One, the Capitals are pressuring early. They are outshooting the Pens and Murray is trying to weather the storm for the Pens. Also, the Capitals are going for high-glove shots on Murray.

15:59 - By the way, that goal was high-glove. That has been a problem for Murray for a while now.

18:34 - Alex Ovechkin scores. A bag pinch by the Pens leads to a rush for the Capitals. Evgeny Kuznetsov pokes the puck away from Hornqvist and it goes right to Ovechkin, who has plenty of time and space on the wing. He puts a rocket shot past Murray. 1-0 Capitals

19:23 - Letang fires a shot from the point that Crosby redirects just wide. Solid play.

20:00 - Game time! The Pens need to come out with speed and put the pressure on the Capitals. Don't let them have any hope. Lets Go Pens!