An overtime goal by Dennis Wideman sealed a win for the visiting Capitals on Thursday night. The goal came on a power play for Washington, the result of an overtime tripping penalty on Jordan Staal.
The game was sent into overtime by James Neal, who scored at 16:15 of the third period to even the score at two. The Penguins peppered Capitals goalie Tomas Vokoun throughout the third period and overtime. But only Neal could break through, scoring both goals on the evening for the Pens. Neal’s first goal was set up by Evgeni Malkin, who was a gametime decision after being out for two games with a lower body injury. Malkin looked sharp throughout, carrying the puck into the zone to set up Neal’s opening goal.
Mike Knuble answered Neal’s first foal for the Capitals at the start of the second period, to even it at one. Alex Ovechkin would deflect a Mike Green shot past Brent Johnson and into the top of the net to give the Capitals the lead. Before Neal’s second and equalizing goal, however, was the highlight of the thjrd period – Arron Asham’s knockout of Jay Beagle. The five-minute major was the only penalty of the night on the Pens, until Staal’s overtime tripping call set up the winning goal from Wideman.