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It wasn’t meant to be on Saturday night in D.C. as the Penguins fell to the Capitals 4-2 in Game 5 and as a result were unable close out the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. The Pens will get a second shot to move on this evening back home at PPG Paints Arena in Game 6. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 PM and will be broadcast on NBCSN.
It’s no secret the Pens blue line has had much of the play forced on them so far this series and as a result the pairings maybe be shuffled in Game 6 to throw a different look at the Caps. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
If you’ve followed the Pens at all over the last decade or so you will have undoubtedly heard of a certain fan famously known as the “Knitting Lady.” Her real name is Michelle and on Saturday night she caught the eye of NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes and nearly broke the internet. [RMNB]
Saturday night’s loss was not an easy pill to swallow but the Pens quickly put the game out of mind and refocused on the task at hand to prepare for Game 6. [Penguins]
After missing Game 4 with a concussion captain Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup for Game 5 and, despite not getting the result they were looking for, just having their captain back in the lineup so quickly was a victory. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
When Crosby suffered his first concussion all the way back in 2011 it took him nearly a year before his return to the game. Using what Crosby and the team learned during the first incident, it has helped them better treat the injury and allow him to make a speedier return. [USA Today]
Although the Capitals must win tonight to keep their season alive, the pressure has shifted to the Pens to win and prevent a return trip to the nation’s capital for a decisive Game 7 on enemy ice. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
In almost a carbon copy of last year’s series, the Pens will head into Game 6 up 3-2 and a chance to close out the series on their ice. We all remember how that game ended. So do the Capitals and they will be looking for revenge. [Trib Live]
News and notes from around the NHL...
For the first time in franchise history, the Nashville Predators reached the Western Conference Final following a 3-1 win to eliminate the St. Louis Blues. The Preds will have a short break as they await the winner of the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers series that will be decided in a Game 7 on Wednesday. [Puck Daddy]
It appears that the Olympics drama surrounding the NHL’s participation in the event is not over yet. IIHF president Rene Fasel says the NHL had until mid-July to decide once and for all if the league will send its players to South Korea. [ESPN]