WASHINGTON — With Sidney Crosby and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ skaters off to a low-scoring start to the season, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is carrying the club.

Fleury made 33 saves, and Phil Kessel scored the go-ahead goal off Evgeni Malkin’s pass less than 2 minutes after Beau Bennett tied it in the third period, leading Pittsburgh past Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Wednesday night.

“`Flower,’ was big when he had to be,” Penguins coach Mike Johnston said, using Fleury’s nickname.

Never bigger than in the second period, when the Penguins were outshot 14-4.

“The more shots he sees, the better he plays,” said Bennett, who returned after missing five games while injured. “We can’t do that every night, but he was definitely our best player tonight and kept us in it, even when they had those flurries in the second period.”

Fleury has started every game this season, and after opening with three losses, the Penguins have won five of their past six.

They also ended the Capitals’ five-game winning streak.

After a pair of scoreless periods and superb play by both goalies, Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov put the hosts ahead about 1 1/2 minutes into the third, when his wrist shot deflected off the left skate of Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi and past Fleury.

“Our guy scored,” Fleury said with a chuckle, “so that doesn’t count.”

Even Washington coach Barry Trotz couldn’t help but concede it was “a little bit of a fortunate goal.”