Capitals even series with Penguins in dominant effort

The Capitals scored their first goal quickly, just like in Game 1. This time, though, the electricity among fans in red at Capital One Arena lasted through the final horn.

For one day, at least, the Capitals solved their issues defending a lead, taking control early and keeping it throughout a 4-1 win in Game 2 of their second-round NHL playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Alex Ovechkin was one of four Capitals to score, Lars Eller had three assists and Braden Holtby made 32 saves.

After scoring twice in the first period, Washington was able to add a third goal before the Penguins got on the board, rather than surrender the lead like the team has done in each of its three losses this postseason. Pittsburgh nearly scored again in the middle of the third period to make it a one-goal game, but a controversial review upheld a “no goal” call.

Now the knotted-up series shifts to Pittsburgh for Game 3 Tuesday, as the Capitals avoided falling into an 0-2 hole like the one they faced in the first round against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“It’s way better than being down,” Nicklas Backstrom said. “Pittsburgh is a different team. They’ve got some power up front. It’s better to have a tied series.”

Ovechkin’s goal came on his line’s first shift, less than a minute and half into the action. Patric Hornqvist tussled with Evgeny Kuznetsov for the puck as they skated into the Capitals’ offensive zone, and Hornqvist knocked it straight to Ovechkin, who scored from above the left circle.

Holtby was stellar in the first 10 minutes despite facing only five shots. On one, he stonewalled Sidney Crosby, which pumped up the crowd.

Crosby was later called for hooking, and with five seconds left on the power play, Washington profited. Eller sent a pass from the right corner to Jakub Vrana, and the rookie maneuvered through three skaters to shove a shot past Matt Murray’s arm.

Washington outshot Pittsburgh 20-10 in the first and set a franchise record for most shots in one playoff period. But the Penguins would catch up and, in fact, outshoot Washington for the game, 33-32.

“I think we started the same way like we started Game 1. We got an early lead and we have lots of chances,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously Murray was great today, same as Holts. Every chance that we have, we have to use it.”

After setting up Washington’s second goal, Eller made another important play two minutes into the second. He grabbed a neutral-zone giveaway and changed direction in time to find Brett Connolly skating in the clear. Murray got a piece of Connolly’s shot, but it bounced through.

Pittsburgh finally answered during a 4-on-4 13 minutes into the second. Kris Letang’s blue-line wrister found its way through four skaters near the net and past Holtby.

It proved to be the only smudge on Holtby’s record for the game. Halfway through the third, Crosby tried for a wraparound, and when his shot hit the pipe, Hornqvist pushed the rebound under Holtby’s skate. But the officials’ call was “no goal” and an extensive review asserted the puck didn’t clear the goal line.

“I didn’t think (Crosby) was going to have a chance to get anyone on the wrap,” Holtby said. “I was trying to get around for that wrap and he had a little pass out front. The shot had hit my pad. I kind of spun around and by the time I looked, the puck was on the goal line and I tried to get my right foot back to try to keep it out.”

Predictably, the two sides judged the review differently. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan pointed out that when replay officials zoomed in, a sliver of white was visible between the goal line and the puck.

“My view was that it’s 100 percent a goal,” Sullivan said. “Whether you use deductive reasoning or you can see the white, whatever it may be, that’s how we saw it. So we respectfully disagree with the league and their ruling, but that’s not anything we can control.”

Eller, meanwhile, was on the bench and also watched what fans in the arena saw.

“I looked at it on the bench in slow, and you can’t tell if the puck is in for sure,” Eller said. “I think it’s always been the rule (that) if you can’t tell it’s in, then you can’t call it a goal. So I was pretty confident it wasn’t going to be a goal.”

With that behind them, the Capitals controlled the rest of the game. They killed their third penalty of the day, even when Pittsburgh pulled Murray to create a 6-on-4 chance. This extended the Capitals’ streak to 22 kills without allowing a goal.

Backstrom added an empty-net goal in the final seconds, which gave Eller his third helper.