Mix-and-match Penguins valiant effort, but not enough; Capitals alive

This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW.

The game was a must-win for the Washington Capitals, and a must-play for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins locked up second place in the Metro Division Thursday, but Washington was clinging to its ever-so-slim playoff chances. The Penguins used the game to let seven of their regulars, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Kris Letang, Ben Kindel, Parker Wotherspoon, and Erik Karlsson recover from injuries. Instead of their regulars, the Penguins substituted players who typically serve as healthy scratches and a trio of call-ups to complete their lineup.

After a humdrum first period in which Washington outshot the Penguins 10-1 but without score, or danger, the teams combined for seven goals in the second period.

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