The Capitals (6-7-2) have had their share of troubles too. They lost four in a row (0-2-2) before a 5-4 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday and are still missing a host of key players because of injuries, a list that includes forwards Nicklas Backstrom (hip surgery), Tom Wilson (torn ACL), T.J. Oshie (lower body), Connor Brown (torn ACL) and Carl Hagelin (hip surgery), and defensemen John Carlson (lower body) and Dmitry Orlov (lower body).
That added to the urgency for both teams in this first game between the rivals this season.
"Safe to say we needed it, and we earned it," Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith said after making 24 saves to earn his first win of the season (1-3-1). "The penalty kill was unbelievable (3-for-3). Down to four defensemen, [I] can't give them enough credit. What a gutsy performance by those four in the third period, and I just thought we did an amazing job in the third just managing."
Perhaps the fortunate bounce that led to Jason Zucker's goal that opened the scoring 7:43 into the second period signaled a change in the Penguins' luck. Zucker threw the puck on net from above the goal line in the right corner and it rattled between goalie Darcy Kuemper's pads and sat loose behind him in the crease until Kuemper accidentally knocked it in with his left leg.
Brock McGinn's short-handed goal that made it 2-0 at 12:53 also found an opening between Kuemper's pads before trickling over the goal line. Petry made it 3-0 with a center point shot that went over a screened Kuemper's left shoulder at 15:05 of the second.
"I think everybody in here believes with the process that we're doing right now," McGinn said. "When this team is playing the right way and playing our game, I think we can beat everybody."
After Pittsburgh let a three-goal lead in the second slip away at home in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Nov. 1, and a two-goal advantage the next night in a 6-3 defeat at the Buffalo Sabres, finishing Washington off in the third appeared far from guaranteed, especially with Joseph and Rutta unavailable. But with Letang (28:48 of ice time), Petry (24:49), Pettersson (23:48) and Dumoulin (21:58) carrying the load on defense -- and Carter playing that 38-second shift alongside Dumoulin in Petry's absence - the Penguins kept things simple.
"We were trying to figure out which forward can skate backwards," Sullivan joked. "I'm not sure he can skate backwards, but he's a pretty smart player and we figured we could use his wealth of experience in the League to help him."
Marcus Johansson's goal at 12:22 cut it to 3-1 and gave the Capitals some hope before Jake Guentzel's empty-net goal with 1:36 left sealed Pittsburgh's first win in eight games.
"It feels great," said Carter, who had an assist in his return from a three-game absence because of a lower-body injury. "The last few games, I think these guys have really been building and, for most part tonight, it was a pretty solid effort by the group.
"So, good feeling in here now."
