Crosby scores twice, Penguins spoil Carbery’s debut as Capitals coach

WASHINGTON -- Sidney Crosby scored twice and Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who spoiled Spencer Carbery’s debut as Washington Capitals coach in a 4-0 win at Capital One Arena on Friday.

"Home opener, you know they're going to start pretty hard,” Crosby said. “I thought we did a good job of just weathering that. When ‘Geno’ got that first goal, it just kind of gave us a good boost. And then to follow it up with some power plays and see those go in, I think we just gained momentum from that."

Carbery was hired as Capitals coach May 30 to replace Peter Laviolette.

“It’s the worst-scripted start we possibly could have had in terms of just being disappointed, home ice,” Carbery said. “Trying to generate some momentum from a season standpoint, and that certainly did not happen.”

Tristan Jarry made 19 saves, Reilly Smith scored, and Jake Guentzel had two assists for the Penguins (1-1-0). Erik Karlsson had an assist for his first point with Pittsburgh, which bounced back from its season opener, a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

“I don’t want to say a better effort, I just thought we played smarter tonight,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “Just our play without the puck was a little bit more conscientious certainly than it was in Game 1, and I think that gives our guys an opportunity to act on the talent that we have. So, we played hard tonight, but we also played smart.”

Charlie Lindgren made 31 saves for the Capitals in their season opener. Darcy Kuemper, their No. 1 goalie, was unavailable after his wife gave birth Thursday night.

Malkin gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 4:07 of the second period. Karlsson kept a loose puck in the offensive zone, poking it to Rickard Rakell along the boards. Rakell centered to Malkin, who beat Lindgren glove side from the slot.

Crosby made it 2-0 during a power play at 5:51, knocking in a loose puck in front while falling down.

Crosby then made it 3-0 at 11:46 on a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle off a cross-ice pass from Malkin for another power-play goal.

Jarry made a pad save against Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway with 4:07 left in the period.

Ovechkin finished with four shots on goal in 18:42 of ice time.

“I think we played well in the first period,” said Ovechkin, who is Washington’s captain. “Second one, we didn’t score. They scored, and that’s kind of the game.”

Smith, acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 28, scored his first goal with the Penguins with a shot from the left circle off a pass from Malkin at 16:57 of the third period for the 4-0 final.

“I thought Geno was on his game tonight,” Sullivan said. “When he’s on his game, it seems like the puck follows him around. … That play he made on Reilly’s goal at the end, just an unbelievable pass. It started with a track, just tracking the puck from behind.

“He was playing at both ends of the rink. He’s competing hard. I just think when he’s on his game, he’s as dominant player as there is in the League.”

NOTES: Pittsburgh is 103-10-5 when Crosby and Malkin score in the same regular-season game. … Malkin is the first Penguins player 37 or older to have three points in a period since Steve Sullivan on Dec. 16, 2011. … Penguins forward Lars Eller, who played seven seasons with Washington (2016-23) and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 2018, received a video tribute in his first game back here since being traded to the Colorado Avalanche on March 1. He signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh on July 1. … Jarry moved past Matt Murray for third on the Penguins’ all-time wins list (118). He has stopped 51 of 54 shots through two starts. … The Capitals were shut out for the first time in their 49 season openers. … Goalie Clay Stevenson was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League to serve as Lindgren’s backup.