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Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots behind Pittsburgh Penguins' Deryk Engelland (5) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday in Pittsburgh. (AP photo / February 7, 2013) |
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby versus Alex Ovechkin used to be one of the most electric rivalries in hockey.
Those days, at least for the moment, appear to be over.
Crosby extended his points streak to six games with a goal and two assists and the Pittsburgh Penguins pounded the lifeless Washington Capitals 5-2 on Thursday night.
"I think right now we're confident in the way we're playing and believe in the way we're playing," Crosby said. "Hopefully at the end we have the result we want."
Evgeni Malkin added a goal and two assists, while Pascal Dupuis, James Neal and Matt Cooke scored for the Penguins, who have won five straight. Pittsburgh's revamped power play produced three goals, while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 23 shots for the Penguins, who moved atop the Eastern Conference standings by beating Washington at home in regulation for the first time in more than five years.
Not bad for a team that barely a week ago appeared a step slow in dispiriting losses to Toronto and the New York Islanders. Coach Dan Bylsma tweaked the power play — moving Neal to a spot closer to the net and giving Crosby more freedom — and the Penguins have taken off.
"The (power play) was great tonight," Neal said. "As long as everybody is working and we're shooting the puck, good things will happen. We got some great goals off of it tonight."
Ovechkin and Mike Ribeiro scored for Washington but couldn't stop the NHL's worst team from losing for the fifth time in its last six games. Michal Neuvirth made nine saves for the Capitals before getting pulled for Braden Holtby, who promptly let in three goals in his first seven minutes on the ice.
"We got a lead and we stop playing," Ovechkin said.
The Penguins played without All-Star defenseman Kris Letang, who was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury. Pittsburgh hardly needed him on a night the Penguins showcased just how quickly a rivalry featuring two of the NHL's biggest stars has turned into a mismatch.
