Backed up to the precipice against a rival that's tormented them for decades, the Capitals finally punched back.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said Sidney Crosby was not evaluated for a concussion after crashing into the boards headfirst during Monday night's 5-2 Game 6 loss against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena, per Hemal Jhaveri of For The Win.
The Capitals will head into that next one, a home Game 7, trying to become the 29th team in National Hockey League history to come back from a 3-1 deficit and win a best-of-seven playoff series. Both teams have won the same number of games and scored/allowed an equal number of goals (18 apiece), but the Capitals have out-shot and out-possessed the Penguins in all six games thus far. Not that it bothers the Capitals.
Crosby got tangled up with defenseman John Carlson, teammate Patric Hornqvist and the stick of goalie Braden Holtby while skating toward the net on a power play late in the first period. "I know how much it would mean to me and I imagine it would be the same to every guy in this locker room". OKish, maybe. Certainly not playing at the level he did during the regular season, not remotely like he did in Pittsburgh's wins in Games 1 and 2 in Washington. Intent on not repeating history, the Capitals jumped on the defending Stanley Cup champions early and didn't relent.
"Since Game 3 we've had a sense of calmness about what we're doing", Washington coach Barry Trotz said.
"I don't think we've given ourselves the opportunity to establish the way we want to play", Sullivan said. "The fun part is the obstacle, and the obstacle is a good team in Pittsburgh". Crawford came up woozy and clearly needed to undergo post-concussion protocol, but he stayed in the game after a brief check from a trainer. Before that goal had even been announced, Andre Burakovsky scored his second goal of the game to give the Capitals a five-goal cushion. The Capitals controlled play throughout.
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In addition to that, a rope was also found in the trunk that the prosecution said had Sierra's hair. A jury found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of the killing and kidnapping of Sierra LaMar in 2012.
"I think we were probably guilty of making a few mistakes early on and then probably chasing our mistakes after that", said Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who had an assist in 20 minutes but was largely a nonfactor in his second game back after missing Game 4 with a concussion. He reunited the "HBK" line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel that worked so well during last spring's Cup run and the trio responded by generating one shot on goal.
A year ago, Washington played a Game 6 in this building in the same round and watched its season end. In the NHL, only a trainer who is the "central league spotter" watching games from league offices in NY can decide if a player can leave a game or not.
A Game 7 win on Wednesday night could change everything.
Goaltender Braden Holtby chose to take it a little easier on the youngest member of the Washington Capitals. Kuznetsov quickly set up Oshie from the slot for a 1-0 lead at 12:41. Ottawa leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.
Crosby finished the game with 19:57 of ice time, most among Penguins forwards. If they can not generate a simple breakout play, or move the puck in a quick, and effective manner, it will be more of the same in D.C. Ron Hainsey had a brutal game, esp on the Caps second goal where his turnover allowed the play to take place. The rejiggered top line with Burakovsky on it accounted for all three of the team's even-strength goals, and Burakovsky scored two of them.
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