Overtime victories for Penguins and Capitals force Game 7

Last week, a struggling Evgeni Malkin, a surging Simeon Varlamov and an unstoppable Alex… Last week, a struggling Evgeni Malkin, a surging Simeon Varlamov and an unstoppable Alex Ovechkin put the Washington Capitals in control, up 2-0 in their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Four games and three overtimes later, the tense, back-and-forth match-up now comes down to a Wednesday night Game 7 in Washington.

Pittsburgh gained two overtime wins in the series, thanks to timely goals by Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang. In an example of how close the series is, Letang’s and Malkin’s game-winning goals in Game 3 and Game 5, respectively, both deflected off Washington sticks on their way to the net.

After a poor showing in the first two games, in which Malkin went without a goal and oftentimes looked lost on offense, Malkin has picked up his play and not coincidentally, the Penguins have started winning. With a combined two goals and four assists starting in Game 3, he is arguably the Penguins’ best player this series.

But it’s not only Malkin’s turnaround that helped Pittsburgh. The defense also improved its play, starting with Letang’s goal, to win Game 3.

Up until game time, it was unknown whether Letang will even play. After a hard check into the boards by Washington’s Mike Green, Letang missed the rest of Game 2 with an undisclosed injury, leaving him questionable for the third game of the series. Luckily for the Penguins, he played.

Letang’s play represents the Penguins’ defense as a whole. The team has slowed down Ovechkin’s production since the series first shifted to Pittsburgh. Most notably on the defense is Rob Scuderi, who has shut down the league’s leading goal scorer on most one-on-one situations.

Scuderi, Letang and the rest of Pittsburgh’s defense have seen increased playing time because of Ovechkin. Perhaps even more impressive, the Penguins are missing veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar, who injured his knee in a collision with Ovechkin in Game 4 and hasn’t played since. He practiced with the team yesterday but is a game-time decision for Game 7.

The questionable hit is just one part of the series’ bedlam. Several Pittsburgh players have called out Ovechkin for jumping while hitting and hitting late, claiming the hit on Gonchar was dirty.

Likewise, Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau also spent some time complaining. But his issues deal with officiating and television. Boudreau said he thinks the refs are favoring Pittsburgh because the Penguins have had 30 power plays during the series, whereas Washington has only had 19. He also criticized the Canadian television network CBC for showing and analyzing his locker room whiteboard “keys to victory” in a pregame segment before Game 3.

One key to victory for both teams so far is getting production from multiple players opposed to letting one of the superstars try to carry a team to victory.

After two games and two Pittsburgh losses, Sidney Crosby looked for help from his teammates after scoring four of the team’s five goals. Since then, 10 Penguins have scored, while Ovechkin should reserve his excessive celebrating for the next time he gets some support from his teammates.

In their three losses, Capitals players Mike Green and Alexander Semin, each 30-goal scorers in the regular season, have played poorly. Green, the NHL’s highest scoring defenseman, could have hidden his offensive woes had he shut down Penguins forwards, but that hasn’t happened. Both he and Semin have yet to score against Pittsburgh.

Part of Pittsburgh’s revival was finally making Varlamov, Washington’s rookie goaltender, show his inexperience. Peppering him with shots, Pittsburgh shooters have exploited the goaltender’s glove side. In fact, Varlamov criticized his equipment after Game 2, as several goals this series have hit his glove and continued into the net.

Bounces off of Varlamov’s glove as well as tips off Washington sticks helped Pittsburgh stay alive, but the slate is wiped clean for the winners-take-all Game 7. Still, as the series ends, the Penguins will try to get one more fortunate bounce — or at least not have an unlucky one — to propel them closer to the Stanley Cup.

After all, one more big Malkin goal or Varlamov flub could send Pittsburgh into the Eastern Conference Finals.