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 Penguins rookie Tom Kuhnhackl had a goal and two assists, and
Pittsburgh surged back with four consecutive goals to manhandle the
NHL-leading Washington Capitals 6-2 Sunday night and move up the
standings.
The Penguins, clinging to the second Eastern Conference wild-card
spot less than two weeks ago, won their season-high-tying sixth in a
row to climb past the New York Rangers and into the Metropolitan
Division's second playoff slot via tiebreaker. They won seven of
eight during a nine-game run against division opponents and 10 of 13
overall.
"We felt like we're playing real good hockey," said Penguins center
Matt Cullen, Kuhnhackl's linemate, who added a goal and an assist.
"All these games ... you have to look as them as potential playoff
matchups. And that's brought out the best in us."
Defenseman Trevor Daley added a goal and two assists and Sidney
Crosby had two more assists, extending his scoring streak to 12
games. The Penguins also held NHL goal-scoring leader Alex Ovechkin
without a point for the fourth consecutive game this season and
stopped a three-game home-ice losing streak to the Capitals.
 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan credited his third line --
Kuhnhackl-Cullen-Bryan Rust -- with not only with scoring three
goals, but shutting down the Ovechkin line.
"We played them hard, made it tough of them and got a couple of
goals on the forecheck," said Kuhnhackl, who had his first career
three-point game.
Capitals coach Barry Trotz said, "We had some guys who weren't
strong, and you can't do that against a team that's trending well.
They're the hottest team right now. They were in a playoff mode and
we weren't."
The Penguins, relying on an across-the-board upgrade in team speed
that occurred when they added players such as Daley, defenseman
Justin Schultz and winger Carl Hagelin and called up multiple
players from the minors, constantly beat the Capitals up ice to
start odd-man breaks that led to goals.
"They got everything off turnovers, odd-man stuff -- that's
obviously their strength, and we've got to be stronger in that
area," Capitals goalie Braden Holtby said.
To Sullivan, that wasn't by coincidence.
"We think our core guys want to play a fast game," Sullivan said.
"(Speed) has to be our competitive advantage. That has to be the
foundation of our identity."
Kuhnhackl, playing in only his 32nd career NHL game, gave Pittsburgh
the lead at 3-2 in the second period with his third goal, then made
a stretch pass that led to Cullen's 12th of the season early in the
third. Cullen's shot deflected off Holtby's back and rolled into the
net.
Crosby, now on his fourth career 12-game scoring streak, later hit
Kunitz to create another break that led to the winger's 16th of the
season and a 5-2 lead that caused Trotz to pull Holtby, who made 21
saves. Schultz, an offensive defenseman, scored his first with the
Penguins to finish off the team's three-goal third period.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 16 saves, overcoming his own giveaway that
led to a Capitals goal. He needed to make only 32 saves to beat the
Flyers and Capitals on successive days.
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Washington backup goalie Philipp Grubauer stopped four of the five
shots he faced in relief.
The Capitals, owners of the NHL's best record and already assured of
making the playoffs, overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring twice in the
second period -- starting with a goal that bounced off Jason
Chimera's helmet and into the net as Fleury was trying to clear the
puck from in front of the crease.
Later, after a pair of scrums less than two minutes apart, the
Capitals tied it seconds after they had three men in the penalty
box. Andre Burakovsky got loose on a short breakaway created by Jay
Beagle's up-ice pass and beat Fleury cleanly for his 16th goal.
Kuhnhackl, who had only one previous multi-point game in 32 games
this season, restored the Penguins' lead only 42 seconds later at
15:54 -- going to his left knee to beat Holtby from the right circle
off Cullen's pass.
The Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the first period against Holtby, who
allowed only four goals in his four most recent starts against them.
Rust grabbed Kuhnhackl's backhand pass, skated across the crease,
then turned and beat Holtby inside the far post at 8:23 for his
fourth of the season.
Just 1:26 later, Daley matched Crosby's excellent cross-ice pass
with a just-as-good shot -- kicking the puck to his stick and deftly
beating Holtby over the shoulder and under the crossbar for his
sixth goal.
NOTES: Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury started back-to-back games for
just the eighth time in four seasons. He made 16 saves Saturday as
the Penguins won 4-1 in Philadelphia. ... Capitals coach Barry Trotz
is tinkering with line changes down the stretch, such as RW T.J.
Oshie switching to the second line, because he wants skaters on
different lines to be familiar with each other in case they need to
play together during the playoffs. ... Capitals D John Carlson
(lower body injury) missed a 12th consecutive game Sunday but could
return Friday at New Jersey. ... The Capitals scratched D Taylor
Chorney, C Michael Latta and RW Stanislav Galiev. ... Pittsburgh did
not dress D Ben Lovejoy, D Derrick Pouliot, G Jeff Zatkoff and two
injured players, C Evgeni Malkin and C Scott Wilson. ... Pittsburgh
also won six in a row from Oct. 24-Nov. 6 under former coach Mike
Johnston.
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