Capitals–Penguins rivalry
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The Capitals–Penguins rivalry is an
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
rivalry A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
between the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
and
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. Both teams have played in the
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a successor of the original ...
of the Eastern Conference since
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. This rivalry stems from the 11 playoff series that the two teams have met in, which is second most between NHL expansion teams behind the
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and were founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minne ...
and the
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
(who have met each other in 14 playoff series). Pittsburgh won in every series except for the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and 2018 Eastern Conference Second Round, in which Pittsburgh were heavily favored both times. There is also only a 250-mile drive between the cities of
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
and
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
, allowing visiting fans of both teams to attend each other's games in fairly large quantities. In addition to the geography and deep playoff history, the emergence of
Alexander Ovechkin Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin ( rus, Александр Михайлович Овечкин, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn; born 17 September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capital ...
(Washington) and
Sidney Crosby Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed " The Next One", he was selected first o ...
(Pittsburgh) as two of the NHL's biggest superstars has fueled the rivalry. The rivalry reached new heights in the late 2010s, as the teams won three consecutive Stanley Cups between them: in
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and
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, the Penguins defeated the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
-winning Capitals en route to the championship, while in
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the Capitals eliminated the two-time defending champions in the second round on their way to winning their first Stanley Cup. In fact, all six Stanley Cup championships combined between Washington and Pittsburgh have required defeating the other in the playoffs.


Early history

Starting in the early 1980s, Pittsburgh and Washington had developed some animosity towards each other, but their matchup was never considered one of the top rivalries because they were rarely good at the same time. The two teams had never even made it to the playoffs in the same year until
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when the Capitals lost to the Penguins' cross-state rivals, the
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
, in the division semifinals and the Penguins lost to the Flyers in the division finals. The next season, the Capitals and Penguins went in opposite directions. The Capitals finished third in the
Patrick Division The Patrick Division is a former division of the National Hockey League (NHL). It was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division moved to the Prince of Wales Conference in 1981. The division existed for 19 seasons un ...
and made it to the Wales Conference Finals against the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
(but lost that series 4–0), while the Penguins did not even make the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
.


1990s and Early 2000s

The 1990–91 season marked the start of the rivalry. Pittsburgh and Washington finished first and third in the Patrick Division, respectively. The Penguins won a tight division semifinal series against the New Jersey Devils in seven games while the Capitals finished off the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
in six games. In the division finals, the Capitals won Game 1 in Pittsburgh, 4–2. The Penguins went on to win the next three games, starting with a high-scoring 7–6 OT affair in Game 2, followed by two 3–1 victories in Washington. Pittsburgh would close out the series in Game 5 with a 4–1 victory. They would go on to win the conference finals against Boston and the Stanley Cup Finals against the
Minnesota North Stars The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the team's colors for ...
, winning both series in six games. In 1991–92, the Capitals finished second in the division and the entire NHL, and the Penguins finished third. This set up a second consecutive playoff meeting between the two teams. This time, the Capitals took a 3–1 series lead by winning Games 1 and 2 on their home ice and then followed a Game 3 loss with a 7–2 drubbing of the Penguins in Pittsburgh.
Dino Ciccarelli Dino Ciccarelli (born February 8, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League, primarily with the Minnesota North Stars, but also notably with the Detroit Red Wings, with whom he h ...
scored four goals in that game and was one of five Washington players to have a multi-point game that night. The Penguins would not give up, responding with a 5–2 win in Game 5 in Landover. Pittsburgh then won both Games 6 and 7 by two goals each to win the series in seven games. After this series, the Penguins would defeat the
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
in the Division Finals and win eleven consecutive games to their second Stanley Cup.
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 '' Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since t ...
would see both teams capture the top two spots in the Patrick Division. Pittsburgh won the division with a franchise record 119 points in the regular season, including an NHL-record 17-game winning streak. However, the third-place team in the division, the New York Islanders, would upset both Washington and Pittsburgh in the division semifinals and finals, respectively, thus preventing a third consecutive Capitals–Penguins playoff matchup. Before the 1993–94 season, the NHL renamed its divisions and made minor realignments. Pittsburgh was placed in the Northeast Division (formerly known as the
Adams Division The NHL's Adams Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Adams, the founder of the Boston Bruins. It is the forerunner of the ...
), while Washington remained in the newly named Atlantic Division that was formerly known as the Patrick Division. In spite of the divisional realignment, the two teams met once again in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round. The Penguins won the Northeast Division and earned the second seed in the newly named Eastern Conference (formerly the Wales Conference), while the Capitals earned the seventh seed. Unlike the previous two meetings, it was the Capitals that won the series 4–2. Washington won Game 1 in Pittsburgh and the next five games were won by the home team.
Joe Juneau Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
and Michal Pivonka of the Capitals would post identical stats over the course of the series (3 goals and 4 assists in 6 games). The Capitals were unable to duplicate their first round success in the conference semifinals, falling to the Presidents' Trophy-winning (and eventual champion)
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
in five games. After the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season, the Penguins earned the third seed in the East, while the Capitals earned the sixth seed. This set up another first round matchup between the two teams. Just like the year prior, the Capitals won Game 1 in Pittsburgh, and won two of the next three games to take a 3–1 series lead. This time, however, the Penguins responded with three straight wins, starting with an overtime win in Game 5 at Civic Arena. This gave Pittsburgh a 4–3 series win. Pittsburgh centre Ron Francis scored 3 goals and tallied 11 assists during the series. The eventual Stanley Cup champion, New Jersey Devils, went on to defeat the Penguins in the conference semifinals, 4–1. Pittsburgh and Washington met once again in the conference quarterfinals in the 1996 playoffs as the second and seventh seeds in the East, respectively. The Capitals shocked the Penguins and won the first two games of the series in Pittsburgh by two goals each, but the Penguins won Game 3 by a 4–1 score. Petr Nedved scored in the fourth overtime period of Game 4 to tie the series at two games apiece. Pittsburgh won Games 5 and 6 to take the series in six games. They also went on to beat the Rangers in the conference semifinals, but lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Florida Panthers. Before the 1998–99 season, the NHL realigned its divisions once more. However, the Capitals and Penguins remained interdivisional opponents, as the Penguins were placed in the new Atlantic Division and the Capitals were placed in the new Southeast Division. The two rivals did not meet in the playoffs again until
2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
. Washington won the Southeast Division title and earned the second seed in the East, while Pittsburgh qualified as the seventh seed. Unlike the other series in the playoffs, this matchup was played with a 1–2–2–1–1 format (team with home ice advantage plays Games 1, 4, 5, and 7 at home) because Pittsburgh's arena was unavailable for 7 of 14 days listed by the NHL and ABC-TV's request to televise Game 2. This special format caused many Capitals fans to feel irate, fearing the new format would put the team at a serious disadvantage, being in an 0–3 series hole when they returned home for Game 4. These worries came true after the Penguins won the first three games in the series, starting with a 7–0 win at the
MCI Center Capital One Arena is an indoor arena in Washington, D.C. Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, the arena sits atop the Gallery Place rapid transit station of the Washington Metro. It has been largely considered to be a commercial success a ...
. The next four games were all close as each of them were decided by one goal. Washington won Game 4 at home, but lost in Game 5 marking their fifth playoff series loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. In the 2000–01 season, the Capitals won a weak Southeast Division once more and earned the third seed in the conference as the worst-ranked division winner, while the Penguins earned the sixth seed. In the first round, the Capitals started the series with a 1–0 win over the Penguins, but lost the next two games. Game 4 in Pittsburgh went to overtime, and Jeff Halpern scored for Washington, their first even strength goal in the series to tie the series at two heading back to D.C. However, Pittsburgh responded with a 2–1 win in Games 5 and 6 (with Game 6 being ended in overtime by Martin Straka), thus defeating the Capitals once again. In addition, the Capitals scored only three even strength goals in the entire series. The Penguins went to the Eastern Conference Finals before being defeated in five games by the Devils.


2001–2006

The rivalry cooled off significantly for the next five years after the 2001 playoff encounter, as Washington and Pittsburgh combined for only one playoff appearance during this time (Washington lost to the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
in the 2003 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals). The misfortunes of the two teams in the regular season would earn them the ability to draft high-end talent.
Alexander Semin Alexander Valeryevich Semin (russian: Александр Валерьевич Сёмин, ; born 3 March 1984) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He last played with HC Vityaz of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) the top leag ...
(13th overall, 2002), Alexander Ovechkin (1st overall, 2004), and Nicklas Backstrom (4th overall, 2006), were drafted by the Capitals, while
Ryan Whitney Ryan Whitney (born February 19, 1983) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. He is an analyst on NHL Network and a co-host of the Barstool Sports hockey podcast ''Spittin' Chiclets'' with former NHL enforcer Paul Bissonnette ...
(5th overall, 2002), Marc-Andre Fleury (1st overall, 2003),
Evgeni Malkin Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( rus, Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ...
(2nd overall, 2004), Sidney Crosby (1st overall, 2005), and
Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills a ...
(2nd overall, 2006) were drafted by the Penguins. These players did their part in quickly turning the fortunes of their respective teams around. Crosby and Ovechkin, the most highly touted player on each team, first met on November 22, 2005, with Crosby getting a goal and an assist and Ovechkin getting an assist. The Penguins won 5–4. The two phenoms lived up to their expectations, as they tallied 106 (Ovechkin) and 103 points (Crosby) to finish third and sixth in the NHL scoring race, respectively. However, both teams missed the playoffs that year. Ovechkin's 52 goals placed him third all-time for goals scored by a rookie in a single regular season, behind Teemu Selanne (76) and Mike Bossy (53)


2006–2008

In 2006–07, Crosby notched 36 goals and 84 assists (120 points) to lead the league in points and win the
Art Ross Trophy The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League (NHL) player who leads the league in points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the league by former player, General Manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has ...
. Ovechkin had a strong season as well, scoring 46 goals and 46 assists (92 points). The Penguins would improve much more quickly than the Capitals, as they secured their first playoff spot since 2001 by defeating the Capitals in their final meeting of the year. They were unable to find much success in the playoffs, as they were handed a 4–1 series loss to the stronger, much more experienced
Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
in the conference quarterfinals. 2007–08 saw both teams make the playoffs in the same year for the first time since 2001. The Capitals lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the conference quarterfinals in seven games preventing a conference semifinals matchup with the Penguins. Pittsburgh made it to the Finals against the Detroit Red Wings (defeating the Flyers in the conference finals), only to lose the series 4–2.


2008–09: Crosby and Ovechkin's first playoff meeting

The rivalry reached new heights in 2008–09. The Capitals finished as the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, while the Penguins finished as the fourth. All three of the League's three leading scorers during the regular season played for either Washington or Pittsburgh (Evgeni Malkin, 113 points; Alexander Ovechkin, 110 points; Sidney Crosby, 103 points). In the playoffs, the Capitals defeated the New York Rangers 4–3 in the conference quarterfinals, while the Penguins defeated their Pennsylvania rivals, the Flyers, in six games. With the first (Boston Bruins), second (Washington Capitals), fourth (Pittsburgh Penguins), and sixth (
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
) seeds remaining in the East, this set up the eighth playoff meeting between the Capitals and the Penguins. The 2009 series began in Washington. Sidney Crosby opened the scoring on a wrist shot in the first period, only to have Capitals centre David Steckel tie the game later on. Pittsburgh later found themselves trying to kill a 5-on-3 penalty, and Washington capitalized on it on a goal by Alexander Ovechkin assisted by Alex Semin to take a 2–1 lead.
Mark Eaton Mark Edward Eaton (January 24, 1957 – May 28, 2021) was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire career (1982–1993) with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Named an NBA All-Star in 1989, he wa ...
tied the score at two a little over halfway into the game, but it was Tomas Fleischmann who scored the only goal of the third period to give Washington a 3–2 win and a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 proved to be one of the most notable games in Capitals-Penguins playoff history, as Crosby and Ovechkin both scored hat-tricks in the game. Steckel was the only other player in the game to score a goal, thus giving Washington a 4–3 win (with Ovechkin's third goal being the winning goal) and a 2–0 series lead with the series shifting to Pittsburgh. In Game 3, Washington got the start they wanted, as Ovechkin opened the scoring for the Capitals . Fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin and Ukrainian Ruslan Fedotenko scored in the second and third period, respectively, to give the Penguins a 2–1 lead in the game. With 1:23 left in regulation, Nicklas Backstrom tied the game for Washington. The Capitals were unable to build off of his goal in overtime, as Penguins' defenseman Kris Letang's shot deflected off Capitals' defenseman Shaone Morrisonn past goalie
Semyon Varlamov Semyon Aleksandrovich Varlamov (russian: Семён Александрович Варламов, ; born 27 April 1988) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NH ...
and into the net to give Pittsburgh a 3–2 overtime win and cut Washington's series lead in half. In Game 4, Washington scored first once more (from Nick Backstrom assisted by Alex Semin), but just like the previous game, Pittsburgh took the lead, this time from a power play goal by
Sergei Gonchar Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar ( rus, Серге́й Ви́кторович Гонча́р, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪdʑ ɡɐnʲˈtɕar; born 13 April 1974) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and a former assistant coach f ...
and even-strength goals from
Bill Guerin William Robert Guerin (born November 9, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey player and the current general manager of the Minnesota Wild. He previously was the assistant general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins and general man ...
and Ruslan Fedotenko. Winger Chris Clark scored in the second period for Washington to make it 3–2. The Capitals and Penguins traded goals until the end of the game for a 5–3 final score in favor of Pittsburgh. The series was tied 2–2 heading back to the Verizon Center. A
Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis ( el, Γιάννης Χρυσομάλλης; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek-American composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthan ...
concert in Pittsburgh had forced the two teams to play Games 4 and 5 on back-to-back days. Game 5 started with Steckel missing a wide-open net 19 seconds into the first period; the two teams got into a scrum at the end of the period. Alexander Ovechkin and John Erskine of Washington and Brooks Orpik and Evgeni Malkin of Pittsburgh all received roughing penalties. In the second period,
Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills a ...
scored for Pittsburgh. Ovechkin responded with his ninth goal of the playoffs to tie the score at one; he followed that with assisting on Backstrom's power play goal to put Washington ahead, 2–1. Fedotenko and Matt Cooke both scored to put Pittsburgh ahead 3–2 in the third period, but then Ovechkin, with 4:08 remaining in regulation, tied the score at three with his second goal of the game and tenth goal of the playoffs (Backstrom assisted on his goal for his second point of the game). In overtime, Washington defenseman Milan Jurcina tripped Evgeni Malkin and got a penalty for it. This proved costly, as Malkin attempted a pass to Sidney Crosby which was broken up by Capitals' defenseman Tom Poti and deflected into the net past Semyon Varlamov to give Pittsburgh a 4–3 overtime win and a 3–2 series lead heading back to
Mellon Arena The Civic Arena, formerly the Civic Auditorium and later Mellon Arena, was an arena located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Civic Arena primarily served as the home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city's National Hockey League (NHL) ...
. Game 6 began with a goal by Bill Guerin to give Pittsburgh a 1–0 lead 5:55 into the first period.
Viktor Kozlov Viktor Nikolayevich Kozlov (russian: Виктор Николаевич Козлов; born 14 February 1975) is a Russian former professional ice hockey center and coach. He is the current head coach of the Kontinental Hockey League's Salavat Yul ...
and Tomas Fleischmann later scored to make it 2–1 in favor of Washington, however,
Mark Eaton Mark Edward Eaton (January 24, 1957 – May 28, 2021) was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire career (1982–1993) with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Named an NBA All-Star in 1989, he wa ...
scored on the power play for Pittsburgh after Brian Pothier took an interference penalty. The Capitals and Penguins headed into the second intermission with Game 6 tied at two. Pittsburgh and Washington started the third period by trading power play goals by Kris Letang and Brooks Laich, respectively, and then Kozlov scored at even strength to put the Capitals ahead by one. Sidney Crosby then scored with 4:18 remaining to tie the game at four. The game went to overtime and the series was on the line for Washington, but they still pulled through as David Steckel scored a goal assisted by Brooks Laich and
Matt Bradley Matthew William Bradley (born June 13, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey scout and former player. He currently is a scout for the Washington Capitals. Bradley played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh ...
to force a seventh game back in D.C. Alexander Ovechkin finished the game with three assists. For the third time in their storied playoff history, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins played a Game 7 against each other, with Pittsburgh having won both previous Game 7s. It would prove to be a disastrous start for the Capitals as they fell behind 5–0 (Crosby and Malkin each got two points from Pittsburgh's five goals). Ovechkin spoiled the shutout on an unassisted goal in the second period, but then Crosby scored an unassisted goal of his own, this time on the power play and in the third period. Brooks Laich scored afterward, but the Penguins held on for a 6–2 Game 7 win to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Crosby scored two goals and had an assist in the game to finish the series with 13 points (8 goals and 5 assists) while Ovechkin finished with 14 points (8 goals and 6 assists) in the series. The Penguins would eventually play in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings for the second consecutive season. They would win that series in seven games to win their third Stanley Cup.


2009–2015

In May 2010, the NHL announced that the
2011 NHL Winter Classic The 2011 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic) was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game, part of the Winter Classic series, played on January 1, 2011, at Heinz Field in ...
was going to be played by the Capitals and Penguins, with the game being held on New Year's Day of 2011 at
Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Pittsburgh Panth ...
in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh scored first off an Evgeni Malkin breakaway in the second period before Washington rallied for three straight goals, including two by Eric Fehr. The Capitals held on to defeat the Penguins 3–1. This game is also notable for being the beginning of Sidney Crosby's concussion issues, as Capitals' centre Dave Steckel clipped him in the head by accident behind the play. Crosby returned to the Penguins' lineup four days later against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but after getting hit by defenseman
Victor Hedman Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightning in the ...
, he did not play another game for ten months. Washington and Pittsburgh would remain very competitive for the next few years, as the two teams combined for only one playoff-less season (Capitals in 2013–14) from 2009 to 2015. However, they never met in the playoffs during this time. They came close in 2011, but had the Penguins held their 3–1 series lead in the conference quarterfinals against Tampa Bay, they would have faced Washington in the next round. Before the 2013–14 season, the NHL realigned into a two-conference, four-division setup. The Capitals and Penguins were both placed into the newly formed
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a successor of the original ...
, making the two teams divisional rivals for the first time since the 1992–93 season. The NHL also changed its playoff format to make divisional playoff matchups more common. This ignited the rivalry for years to come.


2016–2018: Consecutive playoff meetings

The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins met in 3 straight playoffs, writing another chapter in their storied playoff history against each other. They have been arguably the 2 best teams in the League, finishing as the top 2 teams in the Eastern Conference in back-to-back seasons from 2016 to 2017; also, 2017 both teams finish the top 2 teams in the entire National Hockey League for 2016–17 season, and just the division in 2018. Despite their high regular season finishes in the first 2 seasons, they have been paired as second round opponents all three times.


2016

In the 2015–16 season, Washington and Pittsburgh finished as the top 2 teams in their division as well as the Eastern conference. Washington won the Presidents' Trophy with 120 points. In the first round, the Capitals beat the Flyers in six games, while the Penguins beat the Rangers in five games to set up the ninth playoff meeting between the Capitals and Penguins, and the first one in seven years. In Game 1, Capitals left winger Andre Burakovsky opened the scoring off a rush a little over halfway through the first period only for Pittsburgh to bounce back in the second period with goals by defenseman Ben Lovejoy and centre Evgeni Malkin. Right winger T. J. Oshie then tied the game for Washington later in the period and then scored less than nine minutes into the third to give his team a 3–2 lead. Their lead was relatively short-lived as Penguins centre Nick Bonino evened the game about five minutes later sending Game 1 into overtime. In the extra session, Oshie skated around the Penguins' goal with the puck for a wraparound chance, but goaltender Matt Murray got a piece of it. In referee Dan O'Rourke's eyes, the puck had crossed the line, so he signaled a goal the play then was under review, and after a closer look, the puck had gone over the line by the length of a stick blade, and the referees awarded the goal to the Capitals giving Oshie the hat-trick and Washington a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 was a tight, low-scoring affair and it was Pittsburgh who evened the series with a 2–1 win. Pittsburgh's goals were scored by left winger
Carl Hagelin Carl Oliver Hagelin (born 23 August 1988) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hagelin was drafted by the New York Rangers in the sixth round, 168th overall, of the 2007 NHL ...
and former-Capital Eric Fehr, and Washington's only goal was scored by centre Marcus Johansson. Capitals goalie
Braden Holtby Braden Holtby (born September 16, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He previously played for the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey Lea ...
made 35 saves, while his counterpart Matt Murray made only 23. The series shifted to the
Consol Energy Center PPG Paints Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Pittsburgh, that serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). It previously was the home of the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2 ...
for Game 3. The Penguins opened the game with first period goals from right wingers Patric Hornqvist and Tom Kuhnhackl to grab a 2–0 lead heading into the first intermission. Carl Hagelin added to the Penguins' lead with a goal in the second period for a 3–0 lead. Washington would try to comeback as Alexander Ovechkin and
Justin Williams Justin Craig Williams (born October 4, 1981) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey right winger. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings, and Washingto ...
scored in the third period for the Capitals to cut Pittsburgh's lead to 3–2. That would turn out to be the final score of the game, giving the Penguins a 2–1 series lead. Pittsburgh's Kris Letang, however, was suspended for the next game for leaving his feet just before hitting Marcus Johansson. He was originally whistled for interference, and then was suspended one game by the NHL's Department of Player Safety for making Johansson's head the main point of contact. Game 4 began with a backhanded shot by centre
Jay Beagle Jay Beagle (born October 16, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who last played for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). As an undrafted free agent, Beagle joined the Washington Capitals's organization fo ...
that went over Matt Murray's shoulder to give the Capitals a 1–0 lead three minutes into the game. That lead lasted for about seven minutes, as Penguins' defenseman
Trevor Daley Trevor Daley (born October 9, 1983) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and also serves as a hockey operations advisor for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played ...
scored a goal from a slapshot that deflected off Capitals' defenseman Karl Alzner and past Holtby to tie the game. Early in the second period, Pittsburgh centre
Matt Cullen Matthew David Cullen (born November 2, 1976) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with eight teams between 1997 and 2019 with. Cullen won the Stanley Cup three times duri ...
scored after a lucky bounce off the boards that sent the puck on his stick to set him up for a breakaway goal. Later in the period, however, Washington tied the game after defenseman John Carlson roofed a shot past Murray and into the net. Late in the third period, Alzner received a penalty for high-sticking Sidney Crosby, but the Penguins could not capitalize and the game went to overtime. The sudden-death overtime period did not last long, as Hornqvist scored for Pittsburgh 2:34 into overtime to give the Penguins a 3–2 win in the game and a 3–1 series lead. Pittsburgh had lost eight consecutive playoff overtimes prior to this game. The Capitals could not afford to lose another game, as they faced elimination heading into Game 5. They got off to a good start in Game 5, grabbing a 1–0 lead off of an Ovechkin slapshot. The Penguins quickly responded with a goal from Chris Kunitz that was scored from a rebound in front of the net, but Washington regained the lead later on when Ovechkin assisted on Oshie's go-ahead goal that made the score 2–1. Justin Williams followed this by capitalizing on a
Brian Dumoulin Brian Joseph Dumoulin (born September 6, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dumoulin was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round (51st overall) of ...
turnover to put the Capitals ahead, 3–1. There was no scoring in the third period, giving Washington a 3–1 win to keep their season alive. In Game 6, the Capitals surrendered the first three goals of the game to Pittsburgh (scored twice by right winger
Phil Kessel Philip Joseph Kessel Jr. (born October 2, 1987) is an American professional ice hockey winger for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Peng ...
and once by Carl Hagelin). Oshie scored late in the second period to give Washington some life and make the score 3–1. Justin Williams and John Carlson both scored in the third period to tie the game for Washington after being down 3–0. The game went to overtime. Nick Bonino scored the overtime winner for the Penguins off a rebound in front of Capitals' goaltender Braden Holtby to give the Penguins a 4–3 win in the game and a 4–2 win in the series. This was Pittsburgh's eighth playoff series win against the Capitals in nine meetings. Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals and Carl Hagelin of the Penguins lead the series with seven points (two goals, five assists; and three goals, four assists, respectively) in six games. Pittsburgh went on to win their fourth Stanley Cup.


2017

2016–17 saw the 2 rivals not only finish as the top 2 regular season teams in the division and Eastern conference, but also the top 2 teams in the entire National Hockey League. The Capitals finished with the best regular season record with 118 points, beating the
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
in the conference quarterfinals, while the Penguins finished with the second best record with 111 points and defeated the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
in their series. This marked the tenth Washington–Pittsburgh playoff series. Game 1 was held at the Verizon Center in D.C. There was no scoring in the first period, but in the second period Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby scored two goals before two minutes had elapsed in the period. Before the second intermission, his star counterpart, Alexander Ovechkin, took a slapshot and blazed the puck past Fleury and into the cut the Pittsburgh lead in half. At the start of the third period,
Evgeny Kuznetsov Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Кузнецов; born 19 May 1992) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He ...
tied the game. Pittsburgh regained the lead after centre Scott Wilson made a pass to Nick Bonino that sent him on a breakaway, which Bonino capitalized on with a wrist shot. Despite a flurry of Capitals chances to tie the game, the Penguins held on to win Game 1 3–2 and take a 1–0 series lead. Game 2 was won by Pittsburgh 6–2, behind two-goal performances from Phil Kessel and rookie Jake Guentzel, along with a goal by Matt Cullen and Evgeni Malkin. Nick Backstrom had two points for the Capitals. Holtby was pulled after stopping 11 of 14 shots, being replaced by backup
Philipp Grubauer Philipp Grubauer (born 25 November 1991) is a German professional ice hockey goaltender for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2010 NHL Ent ...
. Fleury stopped 34 of 36 shots for the Penguins in the game. The Capitals headed to PPG Paints Arena in a 2–0 series hole. They got the start they wanted in Game 3 as Backstrom put Washington ahead 1–0 in the first period on a five-on-three power play. It wasn't until the third period that the Capitals got an insurance goal with Kuznetsov's 2–0 goal 9:46 into the third period. With only a couple of minutes left in regulation, the Penguins were down by two goals and had been kept off the scoreboard, but that was short-lived, as Evgeni Malkin cut the Capitals' lead in half. That was followed by defenseman Justin Schultz firing the puck past Holtby to tie the game. Both of the Penguins' goals were scored while their own net was empty to make room for an extra skater. The Penguins headed into overtime with confidence, but their comeback fell short as Washington's defenseman
Kevin Shattenkirk Kevin Michael Shattenkirk (born January 29, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, W ...
scored a power play goal in the extra session to cut Pittsburgh's series lead in half. This game was also noted for Capitals' defenseman Matt Niskanen's hit on Sidney Crosby; Niskanen was assessed five and a game misconduct. The NHL reviewed the hit, and deemed it not a dirty hit, so Niskanen did not face any discipline. In Game 4, the Penguins did not have Crosby in the lineup because of "concussion-related" symptoms. They did, however, jump out to a 2–0 lead after goals from Patric Hornqvist in the first period and Jake Guentzel in the second period. The Capitals roared back with two second period goals of their own, scored 1:12 apart from Kuznetsov and defenseman Nate Schmidt. Later in the period, John Carlson was called for roughing, putting the Penguins on the power play. Pittsburgh capitalized on the man advantage, with Justin Schultz getting the power play goal. The game went down to the wire, as the score remained 3–2 with just over a minute to play. In the final minutes, Oshie was called for high-sticking Nick Bonino, however, replays showed that Oshie's stick never even touched Bonino's face; regardless, Bonino did not receive an embellishment call. The Penguins held on to win Game 4, 3–2, to take a 3–1 series lead heading into D.C. for Game 5. The series shifted back to the Verizon Center for Game 5. With Sidney Crosby back in the lineup and the Penguins up 2–1 after two periods, they had a chance to close out the series and earn a trip back to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it all went downhill for them starting from the puck drop for the third period. Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Alexander Ovechkin scored to help the Capitals bounce back to win Game 5, 4–2, and send the series back to Western Pennsylvania for Game 6. Washington rode their momentum generated in Game 5 into Game 6, as they tallied the first five goals of the game. John Carlson, T. J. Oshie, and Nicklas Backstrom scored once each for the Capitals, while André Burakovsky scored two. With Washington leading 5–0 with minutes left, Pittsburgh scored two goals, yet the Capitals still won 5–2. Braden Holtby made 16 saves on 18 shots to send the series to a decisive Game 7 on Washington ice. For the fourth time in history, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins played a Game 7 against each other. The first period did not have any goals scored: Marc-Andre Fleury and his counterpart, Holtby, were having a solid game thus far. In the second period, the Penguins used a Washington turnover to generate a scoring chance: Jake Guentzel made a timely pass to teammate
Bryan Rust Bryan Peter Rust (born May 11, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Rust was born in Pontiac, Michigan, but grew up in Troy, Michigan. He won back-to-back Sta ...
, who scored to put the visitors on the board. This proved to be the only goal of the period, as the Penguins went into the second intermission up 1–0. Then, in the third period, Patric Hornqvist wristed a shot over Holtby's shoulder to add insurance to Pittsburgh's lead. The Penguins did not relinquish their 2–0 lead, as they shut out their arch-rivals in Washington to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. Fleury made 29 saves for Pittsburgh in the deciding win. The Penguins went on to defeat Ottawa in the conference finals and followed that series victory with a defeat of the
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
in the Stanley Cup Finals in six games.


2018

The Capitals held home ice advantage again in the 2018 match-up, clinching the Metropolitan Division title with 105 points and ousting the Blue Jackets in the first round in six games after losing the first two games at home. The Penguins finished second in the division with 100 points and defeated the Flyers in 6 games as well. This would be the third consecutive second round match-up between the two teams. Both teams were missing key players for the start of the series due to injuries sustained in their respective first-round series. The Penguins were without
Evgeni Malkin Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( rus, Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ...
for the first two games and
Carl Hagelin Carl Oliver Hagelin (born 23 August 1988) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hagelin was drafted by the New York Rangers in the sixth round, 168th overall, of the 2007 NHL ...
for the first three, while the Capitals did not have Andre Burakovsky for the entire series. The scoring in game one started quickly, as
Evgeny Kuznetsov Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Кузнецов; born 19 May 1992) is a Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He ...
netted a breakaway opportunity on a pass from
Alexander Ovechkin Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin ( rus, Александр Михайлович Овечкин, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ɐˈvʲetɕkʲɪn; born 17 September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capital ...
just 17 seconds into the game. Ovechkin himself then doubled the lead on another quick strike, only 28 seconds into the third period. The Penguins responded with three goals in a five-minute span, with Patric Hornqvist and Jake Guentzel scoring off deflections and
Sidney Crosby Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed " The Next One", he was selected first o ...
potting the game-tying goal. The comeback resulted in a 3–2 victory for Pittsburgh. The Capitals came back to tie the series after a convincing second game victory, with the help of a 32-save effort from
Braden Holtby Braden Holtby (born September 16, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He previously played for the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars of the National Hockey Lea ...
. The scoring began quickly again, as Ovechkin recorded the first tally just over a minute into the game.
Lars Eller Lars Fosgaard Eller (born 8 May 1989) is a Danish professional ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the Tiger", he was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, 13th overall in th ...
assisted on each of the next two goals, as rookie Jakub Vrana scored his first career playoff goal on the power play and
Brett Connolly Brett Connolly (born May 2, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). During his major junior career with the Prince George Cougars, he was named Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hocke ...
sniped a breakaway chance two minutes into the second period. The Penguins appeared to have fought their way back to a 3–2 deficit, but a potential tap-in goal from Patric Hornqvist was disallowed following video review. The Capitals took the 4–1 victory and a tied series to Pittsburgh. Game three was an exciting back-and-forth affair, with three lead changes. Following a scoreless first period, John Carlson fired a slap shot past Matt Murray less than a minute into the second period: the third time the Capitals had scored in the first minute of a period in the series. Guentzel and Hornqvist replied for the Penguins, with Malkin assisting the latter power play goal in his first game back. The two teams continued alternating scoring, with goals from
Chandler Stephenson Chandler Stephenson (born April 22, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Washington Capitals organization, who had drafted him in 2012 ...
, Crosby, and Matt Niskanen. With the game tied 3–3 and a little over a minute left in regulation, Washington took the lead off an odd man chance. Ovechkin initially hit the post off a cross-ice pass from Nicklas Backstrom, but was able to bat the mid-air puck past Murray and into the net, giving Washington a 2–1 series lead. Capitals top line winger Tom Wilson was involved in separate controversial plays in Games 2 and 3. In Game 2, Wilson made contact with the head of
Brian Dumoulin Brian Joseph Dumoulin (born September 6, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dumoulin was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round (51st overall) of ...
, sandwiching the defenseman between himself and Alex Ovechkin. Dumoulin exited the game, but would return for Game 3. The next game, Wilson delivered a hard hit to the shoulder of Zach Aston-Reese, giving the rookie center a concussion and broken jaw. Wilson would receive a three-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety, and Aston-Reese missed the remainder of the series from the sustained injuries. The Capitals headed back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 up 3–2 in the series. The first period remained scoreless, and the game would remain that way until Alex Chiasson scored 2:13 into the second period for Washington. Chiasson's goal was assisted by
Nathan Walker Nathan Walker (born 7 February 1994) is a Welsh-born Australian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Walker, who was born in Wales, grew up in Australia and fir ...
, the first Australian to record a point in a Stanley Cup playoff game. The Capitals' lead lasted until Kris Letang's shot from the blueline redirected off of Washington winger
Chandler Stephenson Chandler Stephenson (born April 22, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Washington Capitals organization, who had drafted him in 2012 ...
to tie the game at one goal apiece, and the score stayed tied at the end of regulation. During overtime, Ovechkin found Kuznetsov streaking in toward the Penguins' net, and passed the puck to him. Kuznetsov cashed in, winning the game 2–1 for the Capitals to upset the Penguins in a playoff series for only the second time in history, and the first time since 1994. It was their first series victory in the second round since their
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
series win against Ottawa; since then, no other D.C.-based team had advanced to a league semifinal round. The Capitals went on to defeat the Lightning in Game 7 of the conference finals on Tampa Bay's home ice, and then took down the expansion
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expa ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: * Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of con ...
to win their first ever Stanley Cup after 45 years.


See also

* Ravens–Steelers rivalry * National Hockey League rivalries


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Capitals-Penguins rivalry National Hockey League rivalries