Ovechkin's pair powers Caps sweep of Penguins
The Washington Capitals aren't declaring they've surpassed the
Pittsburgh Penguins despite sweeping the Stanley Cup champions this
season.
They do know this: They'd rather be 4-0 against the team that
traditionally dominates them in the postseason, rather than 0-4.
Alex Ovechkin scored twice to tie Sidney Crosby for the NHL
lead with 48 goals and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals
stayed unbeaten against the Penguins, winning 6-3 on Tuesday night.
Crosby had a goal and two assists to give the Penguins
captain his fourth 100-point season in five seasons - he missed
only when he sat out two months of 2007-08 with a high ankle sprain
- but Pittsburgh still lost its fourth in a row to Washington.
Ovechkin had four goals in 18 games before scoring on a power
play early in the third, then added an empty-net goal with a second
remaining. Nicklas Backstrom set up both during a three-assist
game, giving him 67 assists.
``I've had lots of chances to score goals, and finally it did
go in,'' said Ovechkin, who had one goal in seven games. ``The last
10 minutes, I just felt unbelievable.''
The Capitals hope Ovechkin feels that way for about two weeks
should the longtime rivals meet up again.
Pittsburgh played without star forward Evgeni Malkin, who
missed his eighth game in his last 10 - this time with an
undisclosed illness that caused him to leave the ice a few minutes
into the pregame warmup. He missed five games with a bruised right
foot before scoring during a 4-3 overtime victory over Atlanta on
Saturday.
The Capitals had little to play for except any possible
momentum that sweeping the Stanley Cup champions might generate,
yet won their second in as many nights and fourth in a row.
Washington already is assured of being top-seeded in the Eastern
Conference playoffs.
``We haven't had much to play for, but we talked about
rolling into the playoffs on a high and we didn't do that last year
and it cost us the first two games against (the Rangers in the
first round) and made it a seven-game series,'' Matt Bradley said.
``The longer series take a toll on you.''
So has Pittsburgh, which beat Washington in a memorable seven
games last spring - the Penguins' seventh playoff series win in
eight attempts against Washington.
``It's nice to not give them too much confidence in beating
us, but the playoffs are a whole new game and they're a dangerous
team,'' Bradley said. ``It doesn't mean anything when it comes to
the playoffs, and everybody knows they're a playoff team.''
The Penguins lost their fifth in eight games and slipped into
fourth place in the conference, two points behind Atlantic Division
leader New Jersey and one behind Northeast Division champion
Buffalo. The Devils beat Atlanta 3-0 and the Sabres defeated the
Rangers 5-2.
Pittsburgh is winless in 10 games this season against the
Capitals and Devils, dropping all six to division rival New Jersey.
``I think that's huge,'' defenseman Tyler Sloan said of the
Capitals' sweep. ``The playoffs are the start of a whole new
season. But it feels good for us. ... I think last year's playoff
experience we gained is invaluable.''
Penguins forward Jordan Staal felt it was important to win
and not go winless against two teams Pittsburgh might see again.
``Yeah, it's disappointing, but you've got to move forward,''
Staal said. ``Hopefully, we'll see these guys again.''
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma pulled goalie Marc-Andre Fleury
after Tomas Fleischmann made it 3-1 only 21 seconds after Crosby
scored on a power play to get Pittsburgh within a goal. As Penguins
forward Max Talbot drove Alexander Semin into the boards, the puck
came loose, Fleischmann grabbed it and beat Fleury with a wrist
shot at 6:42 of the second.
An angry Fleury broke his stick against a wall as he walked
down a tunnel leading to the dressing room.
``We kept having to restart and try to get back to our game,
and that was tough,'' Bylsma said.
Penguins defenseman Jordan Leopold scored twice around
Bradley's 10th goal for Washington, giving him three goals in two
games after he didn't score in his first eight games with
Pittsburgh.
Ovechkin restored Washington's two-goal lead four seconds
after Bill Guerin drew Pittsburgh's only penalty, a high-sticking
call at 2:33 of the third.
Earlier, Alexander Semin scored his 39th goal, and Mike
Knuble's fourth goal in as many games against Pittsburgh this
season - on a seemingly harmless wrist shot from the right circle -
made it 2-0 with 42 seconds gone in the second.
Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves in his first regular-season
start against the Penguins.
NOTES: Capitals D Mike Green rested for a second successive
night. He leads all NHL defensemen with 74 points. ... Washington
ended 24-10-7 on the road. ... Washington has won seven of eight
from Pittsburgh the past two seasons. ... Washington went 6-0-1
against Pittsburgh during the 1984-85 season.
