+2
Fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins have reacted tonight to their team's loss to the Washington Capitals. For the most part, they're looking on the bright side of things.
All things considered, the Pens were losing in the 3rd period against what's been the best team in the league and ended up tying things up. The ending of the game is unsatisfactory on this side, but it's a shootout, what can you do? More important was the style played: the Pens showed some encouraging signs working their forecheck, generating turnovers, utilizing the cycle down low, getting more shots. All of those things they did on a regular basis last playoff series against the Caps. And if it should come to that again this season, it'll be all things they need to do again, hopefully this time with the benefit of having Malkin and Gonchar.
11:12p
by FrankD
of PensBurgh
- 0 comments
For more, visit our Caps blog, Japers' Rink, or our Penguins blog, Pensburgh.
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Mike Knuble netted the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout, as the Washington Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, at Verizon Center.
The first two participants for Pittsburgh in the shootout -- Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby -- beat Washington goaltender Jose Theodore, who turned away Bill Guerin before Alexander Semin lifted a backhander over the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury to extend the extra segment.
After Theodore denied Chris Kunitz, Knuble beat Fleury over the shoulder.
Semin and Eric Fehr scored two minutes apart in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit for Washington, which matched the franchise record for points in a season with 108, set last year.
Theodore, who finished with 39 saves, improved to 17-0-2 since January 13.
The Capitals are closing in on the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 17-point lead over Pittsburgh. The Southeast Division champs are also nine points ahead of Chicago in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.
Jordan Staal tied the game for Pittsburgh with 3:06 left in regulation, gathering a pass from Kunitz and picking the top left corner of the net.
Guerin and Maxime Talbot had the other goals for the Penguins, who are 2-3-3 over their last eight games after coming out of the Olympic break with four straight wins.
Despite the shootout loss, the point earned allows Pittsburgh to move ahead of New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils had pulled into a tie with their win on Tuesday.
Fleury stopped 29 shots.
Caps' Fans React To Knuble's Shootout Winner
While Penguins fans are unhappy with the outcome tonight, it's seen as a mission accomplished in the Nation's Capital. Fans are obviously pleased tonight, especially with the way their team prevailed in a playoff-like atmosphere.
Here's SBN's Japers' Rink:
Mar 24 11:19p by Travis Hughes - 0 comments