PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) The Pittsburgh Penguins entered Washington to face the Capitals Friday night again a little hobbled.
Still no Evgeni Malkin in the lineup, Bryan Rust missing his fifth straight game, and now Jake Guentzel out with an upper body injury.
With no Guentzel in the lineup, the slumping Kasperi Kapanen was elevated to the first line with Sidney Crosby.
The beginning of the game was high energy as most of Penguins/Capitals games are; It's an intense rivalry that is always an even match.
Danton Heinen got the scoring started late in the first period after some give-and-go passing from John Marino.
Heinen has been returning to his Boston Bruins form this season and that goal was his eighth on the year.
The Penguins took a 2-0 lead midway through the second period when Brock McGinn tossed a muffin on net that bounced off Evgeny Kuznetsov's skate behind his goalie.
A few minutes later, after playing "terrible" the last few games, Kapanen collected a great pass from Crosby to score and make it a 3-0 game.
An assist from Crosby on the Kapanen goal extends Crosby's point streak to seven games.
The Capitals entered the third period down two guys; Martin Fehervary was put in concussion protocol after a nasty hit to the head from McGinn, and everyone's favorite public enemy Tom Wilson missed the last period with an upper body injury.
The Penguins, however, had a pretty good stranglehold on the game.
Kuznetsov would score to make it 3-1 before Lars Eller potted on with their goalie pulled to inch closer at 3-2.
Tristan Jarry was able to shut the door most of the game and pick up an assist on the Jeff Carter empty net goal to make reach the 4-2 final.
The game was broadcast only one ESPN+ and Hulu and featured a "Star Watch" that followed Crosby and Ovechkin the entire game.
Both gentleman played up for the camera recording a pair of assists each.
The Penguins finished up their five game road trip 3-1-1.
