Capitals' OT victory forces Game 7 in Washington
PITTSBURGH — To Alex Ovechkin, it almost wouldn't be right if there weren't a Game 7 between the Capitals and Penguins.
The stars, Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, have been everything they're supposed to be — "incredible, both of them," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said after his team's 5-4 overtime victory in Game 6 on Monday.
The six Eastern Conference semifinal games have been close, unpredictable and entertaining, with half going to overtime. There have been swings in momentum, numerous lead changes and unexpected twists and turns, not only from game to game but period to period.
"It's been amazing," the Capitals' Nicklas Backstrom said.
The only challenge for two weary teams who have endured four physically and emotionally draining games in six days is to somehow make Game 7 in Washington Wednesday as competitive and as riveting as the Capitals' win-or-else road victory Monday night.
There were goals from stars (Crosby) and players who simply aren't supposed to score in the playoffs (Pittsburgh defenseman Mark Eaton, with his fourth, as many as he had in 68 regular-season games). There were four ties and three lead changes — and, remember, this is hockey and not basketball.
An unexpected finish, too. David Steckel, who missed a shot toward a wide-open net that would have decided the teams' overtime game two nights before, scored on a tip-in of Brooks Laich's shot 6:22 into the extra period to send the series back to Washington.
What a finish. For the Capitals, what a fitting finish given how close Steckel came to deciding the Penguins' 4-3 victory in Washington on Saturday, when he couldn't score seconds into an overtime that ended not long after that on Evgeni Malkin's goal.
"I was really down after that, it was right there and then two minutes later you lose the game like that," Steckel said. "I told myself if I had a chance to do it again, I wouldn't miss. Obviously it's a different situation, but it feels good."
Especially considering how nothing looked to be in the Capitals' favor. They had lost three games in a row to Pittsburgh, putting them on the verge of a fourth playoff series loss to the Penguins since 1992 in which they held a two-game lead. Also, they had lost their previous seven overtime playoff games, while the Penguins had won eight of nine.
"We always say you work for your breaks and tonight we got it," said Viktor Kozlov, who scored twice and put Washington ahead 4-3 in the third by teaming with Alexander Semin on goals 29 seconds apart.
The Capitals couldn't hold that lead as Crosby scored with 4:18 remaining in regulation, his 10th of the playoffs. But with everything seemingly going the Penguins' way — their nearly 42-24 edge in shots, the momentum they owned after Crosby's goal and their history of overtime success — they couldn't close it out on home ice.
"We had a big effort and it didn't happen, but we believe if we give the same effort things are going to go our way (in Game 7)," Crosby said.
Ovechkin already knows what to anticipate Wednesday in what was expected to be the best series among the conference semifinals and, so far, has been exactly that.
"I think it's going to be great game," Ovechkin said. "I think the league wants us to play Game 7."
No doubt the Penguins didn't, but coach Dan Bylsma appreciated what he saw despite the disappointment.
"Back and forth, great players making big plays, teams answering and grabbing momentum, tying it up late and overtime goals," Bylsma said. "It's easy to see the quality of the game, the quality of the players and the quality of the story line."
It's not over, either.
"Game 7, there's nothing more exciting, nothing more fun than that," Eaton said.
