Capitals vs. Penguins Preview: March 12, 2019
The Washington Capitals take their seven game win streak on the road as they face the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in a game carrying playoff implications. Both teams are in position to make the postseason and are attempting a deep run. A meeting between these two teams in the first or second round seems like an inevitability.
The Capitals are 41-21-7, carrying 89 points and leading the Metro Division. Though Alex Ovechkin remains at 1,199 career points, the rest of the team has been playing well. Lars Eller has scored in two consecutive games and the goaltending of Braden Holtby and Pheonix Copley has combined for an over .900 save percentage. The Caps 21.9 percent power play is good for tenth in the league also.
The Penguins are 37-23-9, with 83 points and just behind the Hurricanes for third in the Metro. They hold the lead on the wild card, but look to improve their seeding. Sidney Crosby just passed 1,200 career points last Friday, and Matt Murray’s .928 save percentage has kept them in the hunt since the All-Star Break.
The Penguins currently lead the season series 2-1, with a 7-6 overtime win at home on Oct. 4 and a 2-1 win in Washington on Dec. 19. The Caps have a 2-1 win at home on Nov. 7, though. The last four times these teams met in the playoffs, the victor went on to win the Stanley Cup. As things stand, these teams are due for a meeting in the playoffs again, be it the first or second round. The Capitals will try to maintain distance, while the Penguins will try to keep up as this game becomes important in the late season stretch.
