PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Penguins finally solved Simeon
Varlamov, finally controlled Alex Ovechkin for most of a game and
got the victory they needed to get back into their playoff series
against the Washington Capitals.
Kris Letang scored his first career playoff goal on a shot from
the point after Sidney Crosby's faceoff win in overtime and the
Penguins avoided going down three games to the Capitals, winning
3-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday
night.
Letang's shot deflected off a Capitals player and ricocheted
past Varlamov, who had stopped nearly everything the Penguins threw
at him. Washington scored first - on a goal by Ovechkin, who else -
then let Pittsburgh control most of the way. The Penguins outshot
the Capitals 42-23 and had a 7-2 edge in power plays.
Pittsburgh also got Evgeni Malkin's pivotal first goal in six
games and shook off Nicklas Backstrom's late power-play goal to win
their sixth consecutive overtime playoff game, five by 3-2 scores.
The victory prevented near certain elimination for Pittsburgh.
No NHL team has rallied from a 3-0 playoff deficit in 34 years.
Game 4 in a series in which Washington won the first two games
by one-goal margins at home is Friday night in Pittsburgh. Game 5
will be Saturday night in Washington.