Capitals Beat Shorthanded Penguins 6-3 As Rookies Shine
On April 11, in the first of two games this weekend, the Washington Capitals won 6-3 to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Penguins were playing shorthanded, most importantly without Sidney Crosby, who has a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.
The Penguins didn’t need to win, though their playoff seed might be a bit lower with the loss. Washington played up to the pressure of a win-or-bust situation, scoring 4 goals in the second period and seeing rookies Ilya Protas, Cole Hutson, and Ryan Leonard take starring roles.
With no chance at a second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference left for Washington after the Ottawa Senators beat the New York Islanders on April 11, they will need to finish 3rd in the Metropolitan Division to make the playoffs.
Capitals vs. Penguins Game Recap
The first period was scoreless, giving a false lull before an explosive second period from Washington. The Penguins only made 1 shot on goal to their opponents’ 9 in that period, really not a good 20 minutes of play from them, even with Crosby, as well as Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, sitting out.
Ilya Protas, in only his second game of his NHL career, assisted his brother Aliaksei on a goal. Leonard scored, though his primary assister, Pierre-Luc Dubois, slammed into the boards in the process and didn’t return for the rest of the game. The Protas brothers assisted Tom Wilson in getting a goal for the Capitals. Then, Leonard scored again.
Usually excellent Capitals Goalie Logan Thompson gave up 3 goals in 9 shots during the second period, as Anthony Mantha, Kevin Hayes, and Noel Acciari all scored. Washington had 25 shots at the end of the second period, and Pittsburgh just 9. The score was 4-3 going into intermission.
The third period brought another Washington injury, but a win and two more goals. Rasmus Sandin took a hooking hit from Justin Brazzeau and was favoring his left leg as he left the ice, not to return. His and Dubois’ injuries are going to be a real problem for a team that must win the next two games to make the playoffs.
Protas scored his first NHL goal, while Alex Ovechkin scored his 32nd goal of the season into an empty net. The Capitals dominated this one, though Round 2 on April 12 in D.C. may be a different story with Crosby, Malkin, and Letang possibly returning to play.
Ovechkin Honored, Caps Rookies Perform
In what was hyped to be a Crosby-Ovechkin matchup for the 21st consecutive season, Ovechkin was honored on the ice by Pittsburgh fans, even though the Penguins lost. Ovechkin has said that he doesn’t know whether he will retire after this season and will decide over the summer. He recorded 7 shots on goal in the game, 1 goal, and no assists for a good day out.
On the other side of the experience scale, rookies Leonard, Protas, and Hutson had fantastic games for the Capitals. Leonard scored twice and had 3 shots on goal. Protas was the best on the team with a goal and 2 assists for 3 points, and Hutson tallied 2 assists. That’s excellent for the Capitals, who will need to bounce back next season even if they do make the playoffs this year and Ovechkin returns for the 2026-2027 season.
In Round 2 on Sunday, the Capitals will need Thompson to perform better, as he ended the day with 0.750 as his save percentage, much lower than his 0.912 season average. Today marked his 100th career game as a starter goalie.
What Must the Capitals Do To Make the Playoffs?
Other than winning their next two games (against the Penguins on April 12 and against the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 14), the Capitals need help from other teams. They will eliminate the Islanders from contention with two wins and now have 91 points. They are one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division rankings and will play the Winnipeg Jets tonight.
It may be a two-horse battle between the Capitals and the Flyers for a playoff spot in the next three days, though big wins from the Islanders and the Blue Jackets could throw a wrench in proceedings. Just 2 points separate the 3rd-place Flyers and the 6th-place Blue Jackets at the moment. There is still everything to play for.
