Rookie goaltender Matt Murray played the biggest game of his career, and allowed just two goals in the process. Thanks to the 47-save performance, the Penguins came away with a 3-2 victory to take a 2-1 series lead.
A strong start for the Capitals was nullified after the Penguins got two quick ones on the board. Patric Hornqvist deflected the puck down in front of the net, and it bounced up off the ice and over Braden Holtby in net for the 1-0 score. The play came after the puck redirected up high and the Capitals lost sight of it in their own zone.
One minute later, the Penguins doubled the lead after Tom Kuhnhackl got lucky as the puck rolled in off his back in front of Holtby for the 2-0 Pittsburgh lead.
Kris Letang made the biggest noise of the game with his high hit on Marcus Johansson, who was injured on the play but ended up coming back in the second period. The Penguins defender got two minutes for interference on the play.
A horrendous Capitals turnover in their own zone gave the Penguins a freebie as Carl Hagelin was able to cash in on a goal from in front of the net. Nick Bonino out-waited Holtby at the side of the cage before swinging the puck to Hagelin in the blue paint for the 3-0 goal.
Alex Ovechkin got the Capitals back in the game 3-1 with his first goal of the series. The captain's shot from the top of the left circle was rocketed past Murray with eight minutes gone in the third period.
Washington was pressing for most of the third period and got a late power play as a result. With the goaltender pulled, Justin Williams got another one back that made it 3-2 with 55 seconds to go in the third.
The Penguins and Murray were able to hold onto the lead they built for the 3-2 victory despite furious Capitals pressure in the final moments.