Turnabout is Fehr Play; Penguins Beat Capitals 2-1 in Game 2

Throughout the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins displayed a remarkable resilience under coach Mike Sullivan. That uncanny ability to turn the page was on full display during Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal clash with Washington on Saturday night.

Forty-eight hours after dropping Game 1 in heartrending fashion, the Pens rebounded to beat the Capitals 2-1 and even the series at 1-game apiece.

Adversity arrived early in the form of a Brooks Orpik elbow. Minutes into the contest, the ex-Pens hard-rock leveled Olli Maatta with a hit that was brutal, late and head-high. The youngster saw stars…and not the Sidney Crosby–Alex Ovechkin kind. Maatta had to be helped from the ice and into the dressing room.

Down to five defensemen early in a must-win game, the Penguins responded like champions. Snubbed for Norris Trophy consideration, Kris Letang produced 35 minutes of passionate, skilled, gut-check defense. Trevor Daley and Brian Dumoulin likewise excelled under heavy workloads.

Following their Game 1 blueprint, the Pens controlled the early play. This time this was no letup. The black and gold outshot the home-standing Caps, 14-5, in the first period. While the forwards pressed the attack, the undermanned defense did an outstanding job of insulating goalie Matt Murray.

“They were absolute warriors out there,” noted the appreciative rookie. “Like they usually are.”

The Pens finally broke through seven minutes into the second frame. Following some good work along the wall by Phil Kessel and a pinching Ian Cole, the puck popped loose to Nick Bonino. The Hartford native darted behind the net and fed a nifty against-the-grain pass to Carl Hagelin, who slipped the check of Evgeny Kuznetzov. “Hags” banked the puck in off the right post.

Thanks, in part, to four Washington penalties, the Pens again outshot their hosts by a 14-5 margin in the second period. Despite some good looks, they failed to beat All-Star Braden Holtby, who stopped 33 shots in a losing effort to earn the No. 1 star.

The Caps appeared to even the score at 17:58 when Nate Schmidt wired the puck past a prone Murray. But referee Kevin Pollock immediately waved the goal off, citing the luckless Kuznetzov for goaltender interference.

Again, the Pens failed to capitalize on the man advantage. Sensing a shift in momentum, the Verizon Center faithful stood and cheered the Caps’ penalty killers at the second period horn.

It was all Capitals to start the third period. Three minutes in they received a gift call when Letang was whistled for a phantom tripping penalty.

Washington took full advantage. Marcus Johansson flagged down John Carlson’s drive from center point and shoveled it home before Murray could respond.

With trademark coolness, the youngster quickly regained his focus. His play down the stretch drew praise from his captain.

“Murray was really good,” Crosby said. “I mean, he made some big saves, especially in the third after we didn’t give him a ton of work. It’s not easy for a goalie to kind of be sitting there waiting for those big chances, and they’ve got guys who can score. He was really strong.”

With Murray and Holtby standing tall, it appeared the game might go to overtime. Then Evgeni Malkin took center stage. Geno outworked Ovechkin for a loose puck in the Caps’ zone and dished a pass to Eric Fehr, who set up Chris Kunitz. Kuny’s shot hit Carlson’s skate and skittered harmlessly to the sideboards.

Making like Steelers great Franco Harris on the Immaculate Reception, Malkin tracked down the wayward rubber, wheeled, and slid a beautiful touch pass to Fehr, who was churning toward the net. The ex-Capital tipped the puck off the right post and past Holtby at 15:32 for his second game-winning goal of the playoffs.

Understandably, this one had a special feel.

“To be able to get that one to tie up the series and bring it back home with a split is enormous for us,” said Fehr, who signed a free-agent deal with the Pens last summer. “You don’t want to come out of here down 2-0 against the Presidents’ Trophy winners. That would be a tough battle. Now we gave ourselves a chance and we’re excited to get back home.”