Malkin logs hat trick as Penguins top Caps in OT
PITTSBURGH -- Evgeni Malkin recorded a hat trick, and Conor Sheary scored his second goal of the game in overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins erased a three-goal deficit and ended a three-game losing streak with an 8-7 win over the Washington Capitals on Monday at PPG Paints Arena.
Washington (29-9-6), the top team in the NHL, had its winning streak dashed at nine games.
The Penguins (27-11-5) increased their league-best home record to 19-2-2.
Sheary's winner came 34 seconds into overtime as the puck went in off the skate of Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen during a scramble in the crease.
Andre Burakovsky and Nicklas Backstrom scored in the first period, and Justin Williams increased the Capitals' lead to 3-0. The teams combined for nine goals in the second period.
Malkin (twice), Sheary, Nick Bonino and Bryan Rust scored to push Pittsburgh to a 5-3 lead before Brett Connolly and Lars Eller tied it once more for Washington, 5-5.
Malkin's third goal made it 6-5 after two periods.
Sidney Crosby added a goal in the third, his league-leading 27th, for a 7-5 Penguins lead. The Capitals got a power-play goal from T.J. Oshie to make it 7-6, and Eller's second goal, on a rebound, tied it 7-7 at 14:38 of the third.
Justin Schultz had four assists for Pittsburgh, and teammates Crosby anhd Trevor Daley added three apiece.
Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (14-4-1) made 21 saves and improved to 8-0-1 at home.
Washington goalie Braden Holtby, who has six shutouts this season, three during the winning streak, stopped 21 of 26 shots before he got pulled. Philipp Grubauer (8-1-2) stopped eight of 11 shots in relief.
Burakovsky gave Washington a 1-0 lead at 7:06 of the first, thanks in large part to Daniel Winnik's work behind the Penguins net. Although Winnik was covered by Schultz, he dug the puck off of the boards and dished past the stick of diving Pittsburgh Bonino and directly to Burakovsky, who was alone in the slot. Burakovsky banked a shot in off of the right post.
Backstrom increased the Capitals' lead to 2-0 at 17:09 of the first when he placed a shot from near the right hash marks past the glove of goaltender Matt Murray and under the crossbar.
Backstrom stretched his point streak to seven games. Alex Ovechkin, who had an assist, pushed his point streak to five games.
Washington made it 3-0 at 1:17 of the second when Williams got around defenseman Ian Cole and, from the lower part of the right circle, scored on a soft shot inside the near post.
Pittsburgh ended Holtby's bid for his third shutout in his past six games when Malkin blasted home a one-timer from the right circle during four-on-four play, making it 3-1 at 6:28 of the second. Schultz picked up his 100th career assist.
It was the first even-strength goal allowed by Washington in a span of 395:42, since a game at Toronto on Jan. 3.
Sheary, at the left post, tipped in a pass from Crosby at 7:12 of the second to draw Pittsburgh to within 3-2.
The Penguins pulled even 3-3 at 8:55 of the second when Bonino played the puck off of his chest, then slipped it past Holtby from the top of the crease.
Rust gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead -- and chased Holtby for Grubauer -- when he carried the puck behind the Capitals net and banked it in off of Ovechkin's skate at 13:47.
Malkin gave Pittsburgh a 5-3 lead at 14:28 before Connolly tipped in a shot at 15:07 and Eller, while short-handed, lifted a shot under the crossbar at 16:54 as Washington tied it 5-5.
Malkin completed his hat trick on a rebound at 17:19 for a power-play goal for a 6-5 Penguins lead.
NOTES: Washington D John Carlson did not play after leaving Sunday's game because of a lower-body injury, but coach Barry Trotz said Carlson could return Wednesday at St. Louis. ... Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom was named the NHL First Star of the Week after collecting three goals, 10 points in four games. ... Pittsburgh placed D Kris Letang (left leg or knee) on injured reserve. Coach Mike Sullivan said Letang is week-to-week. ... Penguins D Brian Dumoulin, who is on injured reserve after surgery for a broken jaw, missed his seventh game in a row. He was on the ice before the team's morning skate on Monday. ... The Penguins recalled D Chad Ruhwedel and C Jake Guentzel from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Both were in the lineup. ... Pittsburgh D Ian Cole played in his 300th NHL game. ... Pittsburgh scratched C Eric Fehr, RW Tom Kuhnhackl and D Steve Olesky. Washington scratched C Chandler Stephenson.