WASHINGTON (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored twice on the power play, Evgeni Malkin had a goal and three assists and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the rival Washington Capitals 4-0 Friday night for their first win of the season.
Crosby’s first goal came while he was falling in front of the net, and his second was a one-timer off a pass from Malkin, who opened the scoring with a shot past Charlie Lindgren. Offseason acquisition Erik Karlsson made the play to keep the puck in at the blue line to set up Malkin’s goal.
At the other end of the ice later in the second period, Tristan Jarry stopped Alex Ovechkin on a breakaway, one of his 19 saves for the shutout. Malkin also assisted on Reilly Smith’s goal in the third that made it 4-0 and gave him a four-point night.
The play of their longtime franchise cornerstones, newest addition and No. 1 goaltender helped the Penguins bounce back from a season-opening 4-2 loss to Chicago earlier in the week.
They also spoiled the debut of new Capitals coach Spencer Carbery, behind the bench for Washington’s first game of the season. Lindgren, starting because Darcy Kuemper’s wife gave birth to the couple’s first child, was sharp throughout and wasn’t to blame for the four goals he allowed on 35 shots.
It’s the first time the Capitals have been shut out in 49 season openers.
NOTES: Clay Stevenson backed up Lindgren for Washington in Kuemper’s absence. Aliaksei Protas was sent to Hershey of the American Hockey League to clear the salary cap space for Stevenson, paving the way for 5-foot-7 training camp standout Matthew Phillips to play his first game in a Capitals uniform. … Former Capitals center Lars Eller got a video tribute and standing ovation in his first game back as a visitor since being traded to Colorado and signing with Pittsburgh on July 1. Eller played six-plus seasons with Washington and scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 2018.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.
Capitals: Host the Flames on Monday night.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
