The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals at the PPG Paints Arena on Thursday, March 7th. Unfortunately, after a relieving and exciting 5-3 victory on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Charlie Lindgren shut out the Penguins for his fourth shutout of the season. Alex Ovechkin recorded his 840th NHL goal and an assist to move into sole possession of 15th place on the NHL points list with 1,532 points (840 goals, 692 assists), passing Paul Coffey.
Capitals lineup against the Penguins:
Ovechkin – Lapierre – Protas
Pacioretty – McMichael – Wilson
Miroshnichenko – Strome – Milano
Malenstyn – Sgarbossa – Aube-Kubel
van Riemsdyk – Carlson
Sandin – Jensen
Bear – Alexeyev
Lindgren
Penguins lineup against the Capitals:
Eller – Crosby – Rakell
Smith – Malkin – Puustinen
Puljujarvi – Acciari – Bemstrom
Harkins – Gruden – Carter
Joseph – Letang
Pettersson – Karlsson
Graves – Ruhwedel
Jarry
Nedeljkovic
Tom Wilson scored his second shorthanded goal of the season early into the first period at 18:09. He hammered in the rebound of his own that had originally hit off the right post on a 2-on-1 for his 14th goal of the season. Wilson’s goal had been the only one scored through the first.
Only 30 seconds into the second, Alex Ovechkin recorded his 18th of the season and his 840th NHL career goal to make it a 2-0 lead for Washington on a power play off a slap shot from John Carlson that hit Dylan Strome in front, Ovechkin scored from the crease on the loose puck. Nick Jensen recorded his first goal of the season, extending the lead to 3-0 at 16:44 off a rebound of a wrist shot from Beck Malenstyn at the top of the right circle. At 11:10, Hendrix Lapierre pushed it to 4-0 after picking up a loose puck in front, spinning around, and sending a wrister to beat Tristan Jarry just below the right circle. After this goal was allowed by Jarry, he was pulled and replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic. Extending the Capital’s lead 5-0, Ivan Miroshnichenko scored his first NHL goal in his fifth NHL game when he took a backhanded pass from Dylan Strome, who was behind the net and buried it around Nedeljkovic’s left pad.
Sonny Milano went for the 6-0 final early into the final frame at 17:47 of the third. He shot from below the right circle for a one-timer and his ninth of the season, as well as his fourth, to extend his goal streak to four straight games.
Sidney Crosby on Jake Guentzel, confidence if this can be quickly turned around, and emotions overall from tonight: “He’s a great player, great teammate, and a friend. I think he did everything he possibly could in his time here. I was just privileged to play with him for the course of that time and made some great memories. It was just a privilege, that’s all I can say,” – “I hope. I mean, that would be great. Obviously, tonight is not going to be the kind of game that’s going to do that… I think the trade deadline time is always tough, but I think given the circumstances, I would say that it’s a little heavier.”
Notes:
– Tristan Jarry allowed four on 22 shots, then was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic made five saves in relief.
– Rickard Rakell played in his 700th NHL game, having five shots on goal.
– Jake Guentzel had been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Ty Smith… the Penguins receive Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius, and a conditional 2024 first-round draft pick, as well as a fifth-round draft pick.
– Charlie Lindgren made a season-high 39 saves in his fourth shutout of the season. He was originally backup for Darcy Kuemper, however, Kuemper was out due to illness.
– Sonny Milano had a goal and an assist, Dylan Strome recorded three assists, and Beck Malenstyn recorded two assists.
