Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0)
So far this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played the Washington Capitals five times, winning three games and losing two.
Going into Game 1, the Penguins continue to rely on goaltender Matt Murray, who came back after an upper-body injury to win the final three games in the series against the New York Rangers. Marc-Andre Fleury is still suffering from a concussion, and it is unknown at this time when he will be returning.
In general, after a much-needed break, the Penguins should be ready to take their streak to the Capitals.
Washington Capitals (0-0)
The Washington Capitals ended their regular season at the top of the Metropolitan Division and beat the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two in the first series.
This is the second time that Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will face off in the NHL playoffs. The first time was in 2009 when the Penguins beat the Capitals in a spectacular seven-game series that included a game where both had hat tricks. The Penguins trounced the Capitals in the seventh game and went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The Penguins need to watch out for goaltender Braden Holtby who, so far this postseason, has a .968 save percentage.
Prediction
This is a tough prediction because these are two great teams. The Penguins were second in the Metropolitan Division and fourth in the league, while the Capitals were first in the league.
Pittsburgh’s offense may stay hot, accounting for Holtby, but the Capitals were sensational in killing power plays in the first round, giving up just one in the six games against the Flyers. So this could be an interesting series. However, if the Penguins do not continue to play as they did in the first round then Penguin fans may be in for some long evenings.
