Malkin threaded the needle with a pass to the stick of Eric Fehr, who deflected home the game-winner. Fehr played parts of nine seasons in Washington across two stints before leaving as a free agent last summer.
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Game 3 of the tied series is on Monday.
The Pens’ new-look lines that have been arranged since the return of Evgeni Malkin provided support once again.
He did leave the door open for them playing in those games, however, saying both could rejoin the team if they felt good enough to play. The Capitals outhit the Penguins 43-29 in Game 1, though Pittsburgh took a small advantage in Game 2, the first time the Penguins have been credited with more hits than their opponent in the playoffs.
Sidney Crosby isn’t faring much better, with a minus-three and no goals to speak of either.
Orpik was suspended Sunday night for his headshot to Penguins defenceman Olli Maatta early in Game 2 Saturday.
Trotz did not understand why Orpik got three games for his hit on Maatta while the Flyers’ Pierre-Edouard Bellemare received just a one game banishment for driving Capitals defenceman Dmitry Orlov into the boards headfirst from behind during the first round. Coach Lindy Ruff yanked Kari Lehtonen after the Blues’ three-goal first period in Game 2, and Antti Niemi finished strong, stopping 19 consecutive shots before Backes got the victor in overtime.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan did not have an update on Maatta’s condition after the game, but he did share his thoughts on Orpik’s move. “We’re a skilled and fast team, and a lot of teams try to slow us down or try to be extra physical against us”. Here’s the thing, though: Murray was face-down in his crease because Capitals centre Evgeny Kuznetsov essentially sat on the goalie’s back.
The Capitals defenseman was given a two-minute penalty for interference nearly six minutes into the first period. Schmidt yelled, “Come on!”
Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he was disappointed but not surprised by the suspension.
The league notes that the hit happened a full second after Maatta shot the puck, and that not only should no player should reasonably expect to be hit at that point, but that this is also not an example of a player “finishing a check”.
“That’s what they want to do”, Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said.
The Sharks turned a pair of power-play chances into goals in a five-goal third period that gave them a 5-2 victory over the Predators in Game 1 of their series.
Orpik called the decision “fair” while speaking to reporters following Washington’s morning skate Monday ahead of Game 3. Taylor Chorney is expected to fill in for Orpik.
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Given how well Matt Murray has played this spring – he has a 1.74 goals-against average and. Orpik is hard to play against.
