Ovechkin’s Hat Trick powers Capitals to 4-3 win
Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have answered the hype as each player recorded hat tricks Monday night but Ovechkin and the Capitals came out on top for the second consecutive game as the Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Monday night at the Verizon Center to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
The two superstars matched each other goal-for-goal as Ovechkin struck twice in the third period and Crosby responded late in the third, closing the Capitals lead to 4-3 with 31 seconds remaining in the game. The difference in the game was Alexander Ovechkin got some secondary scoring help as David Steckel’s second period power play goal ended up being the difference in the game.

While Crosby and Ovechkin have put on a show for the ages, the Penguins are waiting for NHL scoring champion Evgeni Malkin to join the show as Malkin struggled for the second straight game and was a -2 in the game.
With the game tied at 2-2, Malkin was called for a penalty at 12:49 of the third period and Ovechkin scored three seconds later to put the Capitals up 3-2 in the third. Ovechkin pushed the Capitals lead to 4-2 at 15:22 of the third period with a blistering wrist shot from the top of the circles.
Ovechkin’s two third period tally’s prevailed the Capitals to a 4-2 win but Sidney Crosby wouldn’t go down quietly, scoring his third goal of the game at 19:29 of the third period but it was too late as the Capitals held on to their one goal lead in the final seconds.
Rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov made 33 saves to improve his playoff record to 6-2. Penguins goaltender Marc Andre Fleury (4-4) made 29 saves in the loss.
Game 3 is Wednesday at Mellon Arena