After a tight and intense game, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals went into overtime, where Pittsburgh forward Patric Hornqvist scored the game winner to make it a 3-2 final. The Penguins now hold a 3-1 series lead over the Capitals and have three chances to eliminate the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Even without the support of defenseman Kris Letang, who was suspended for the game after a high hit on a Capital in Game 3, Pittsburgh’s defense was able to clamp down hard and prevent Washington from tying the series. The defense’s ability to collapse on the net and clear out pucks clearly frustrated the Capitals, especially star Alex Ovechkin.
Although the Pittsburgh offense hasn’t put up the big numbers fans have witnessed in the past, the Penguins’ ability to get to the net has been the key. However, they’ve struggled in the special teams department, failing to score on four power-play chances.
Work Hard, Play Hard
There’s been no lack of effort in any of the four games the Penguins have played in this series. Even in its Game 1 loss, Pittsburgh played well, and the final score could’ve easily gone the other way.
Coming into the series, everyone knew the Capitals were going to play a physical game. However, in Wednesday’s game, Pittsburgh actually out-hit the Capitals, 47-41, and there were many occasions when a Washington player’s body hit the ice. Ovechkin was targeted a number of times, which prevented him from scoring any points.
On offensive for the Penguins, Hornqvist had a number of opportunities, and, on the game-winner, he capitalized on a Washington turnover, burying the puck past goaltender Braden Holtby. Hornqvist got the puck after Washington defenseman Mike Weber smacked the puck right to Hornqvist, who had no problems finishing his shot. Holtby also didn’t do a good job making the transition to the opposite side of the net, leaving his five-hole wide open.
Head coach Mike Sullivan had this to say about Hornqvist to the press following the Game 4 win: “It’s hard not to love this guy. Just loves hockey, loves being around it, loves to compete, has so much energy.”
Game of Inches
Both teams had several chances to score, which has been an all-too-common theme this series. A number of dings rang throughout Consol Energy Center after the Penguins were able to put it past Holtby — but they just couldn’t get those shots in the net.
Both team’s first goals came on plays that could be described as lucky. Washington’s Jay Beagle scored the first goal of the game when came off an awkward angle with his backhand and slipped right behind the head of Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray.
The first goal for the Penguins came when defenseman Trevor Daley nailed a puck that trickled right through the legs of Sidney Crosby and a myriad of other player and that finally slipped right under Holtby’s pad. Daley also stepped up in a major way on defense Wednesday, playing 28 minutes and filling in admirably for the suspended Letang.
Matt Cullen has also been crucial to the Penguins’ success, leading many to question whether the 39-year-old has found the fountain of youth. On Wednesday, he scored a goal on the breakaway, his third goal in the playoffs. Regarding Cullen, Sullivan said, “He is a great mentor for the young guys. Game in and game out, he makes big plays for us.”
What’s Next
The series will now head back to Washington for Game 5, which will be played Saturday, meaning each team gets an extra day of rest. The game will begin at 7:15 p.m EST.
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