Murray helps Penguins to 2-1 win over Capitals; Letang could face suspension | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
Subscribe

Would you like to subscribe to our newsletter?

Current Conditions Mostly Cloudy  5.5°C

Murray helps Penguins to 2-1 win over Capitals; Letang could face suspension

Washington Capitals' Marcus Johansson (90) is helped by a trainer as John Carlson (74) watches during the first period of Game 3 in an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference semifinals in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Original Publication Date May 02, 2016 - 8:00 PM

PITTSBURGH - The post-game scene in the Pittsburgh Penguins dressing room perfectly encapsulated their Game 3 victory.

Matt Murray, the 21-year-old star of the 3-2 Monday night win, stood waiting for control of his dressing room stall as reporters peppered Kris Letang with questions next door.

Letang's elbow to the head of Washington Capitals winger Marcus Johansson, and the potential supplementary discipline it may carry, overshadowed Murray's 47-save starring performance.

Any absence by the 29-year-old Letang, who played nearly 28 minutes and had an assist in the Monday win, would be crushing to the Penguins, who played without Olli Maatta in Game 3 because of an upper-body injury. Maatta was drilled in Game 2 by Washington defenceman Brooks Orpik for which Orpik was dealt a three-game suspension.

Letang could only say afterward that the play happened fast.

"Whatever the case may be, we're going to try and play our best game," Penguins defenceman Ian Cole said of Letang's potential absence for Game 4. "But he's a guy that's very very tough, if not impossible, to replace."

Letang, who has seven points in the playoffs thus far and was third among all NHL defenders in points (67) during the regular season, is the overwhelming anchor of the Pittsburgh defence.

Murray, though, was the sole reason the Penguins escaped with victory in Game 3 and now hold a 2-1 series lead.

The 21-year-old Murray, filling in for injured No. 1 Marc-Andre Fleury, was spectacular in keeping the Penguins in front as a 3-0 lead nearly fell apart entirely. Washington outshot Pittsburgh 49-23 overall, especially during a dominant third period comeback where the Capitals scored twice and outshot the Penguins 21-9.

"Without Murray, there's no way we win this game," said Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist.

Murray improved to 6-1 with a .944 save percentage in the playoffs and is 12-1 in 13 starts dating back to the regular season. He was in control with one steady save after another, even in a first period that saw his team race out in front.

"I thought he was terrific. And the disparity in shots was because they had the puck all night and we didn't," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.

Sullivan thought his team was beaten to loose pucks all night but capitalized on a few quality scoring chances, including Hornqvist's fourth of the playoffs. That goal opened the scoring in front of a raucous crowd at Consol Energy Centre.

The play started when a Sidney Crosby scoring chance was blocked in the slot, the puck floating high in the air before it was retrieved by rookie winger Conor Sheary. Sheary dished to Trevor Daley at the point, the veteran defender winding up for a blast that Hornqvist got a stick on.

Pittsburgh scored again exactly one minute later when rookie Tom Kuhnhackl redirected a Matt Cullen passing attempt.

The animosity between the clubs heightened late in the opening period after Letang drilled Johansson. The Penguins defenceman caught Johansson with an elbow to the head area just after the Capitals winger released a pass as he entered the offensive zone.

Johansson, who has seven points in the playoffs, lay face-down on the ice with little movement before the play was eventually whistled down. He was helped off the ice by a team trainer, returning for the start of the second period after passing concussion tests in Washington's locker-room. Letang was called for interference on the play.

It wasn't done there for the Capitals though.

Washington winger Daniel Winnik pursued Letang with a hit and slash a few moments later, while Tom Wilson had a few choice words of his own. Johansson noted some issues with his neck after the game.

Capitals coach Barry Trotz would say only that Letang hit Johansson where he was vulnerable. Earlier in the day Trotz suggested that Orpik's suspension was unnecessarily harsh.

"I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised based on who we're playing and all that," Trotz said.

Pittsburgh increased its lead to three with five minutes to go in the second frame on the fourth point of the series from Carl Hagelin. He capitalized on a pair of pretty passes from Phil Kessel and Nick Bonino.

It was the third goal to beat Braden Holtby, who entered the evening with a playoff-leading .957 save percentage.

Washington pushed hard in the third, beating Murray twice, including Alex Ovechkin's first of the series, a laser from high in the faceoff circle. Justin Williams scored with 56 seconds left in regulation.

Murray was the only reason the Capitals didn't charge ahead before or after that. One second period stop of Mike Richards perfectly represented his evening. Richards had the puck on his tape with plenty of room around the right face-off circle, but Murray blocked out any possible angle and made a blocker save.

"Yeah, I don't think I've had that many shots for quite some time," said Murray. "That was a busy one."

News from © The Canadian Press, 2016
The Canadian Press

  • Popular penticton News
View Site in: Desktop | Mobile