Pens lose to the Caps

It was bad enough that the Pens had to play back to back games against the Washington Captials and Chicago Blackhawks. One thing we didn't count on was that they would have to play them without Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, and Chris Kunitz. 

After a tough loss in a shootout against the defending champs on Sunday, the Pens came back to Pittsburgh to host the hated Capitals. 

The Pens were without Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Alex Goligoski, Paul Martin, Mark Letestu, and a few others. That's ridiculous. Goligoski didn't play because he was traded for newly aquired winger James Neal from the Dallas Stars. 

The Capitals were almost at full-strength besides the fact that they were missing Mike Green. 

The Pens already were against all odds considering they were playing back to back games and had a depleted lineup. Then Capitals goaltender Michal Neuvirth decided to stand on his head for most of the game. Although the Pens hit a few posts, especially Brett Sterling in the third period, that shouldn't take anything away from Neuvirth's performance. Neuvirth stopped all 39 shots he faced. 

To rub salt in a wound, Alexander Ovechkin had the only goal of the night.

Props to Marc-Andre Fleury who played a great game. 

Other notes on the game:

The Capitals now lead the season series  completing their season series with a 3-0-1 edge, and improving to 10-0-2 against Pittsburgh since March 2008

Pittsburgh hasn't scored against Washington in 157:47 since Evgeni Malkin scored a  second-period goal in a 3-1 loss during the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.

The Pens dropped to 2-5-1 in their past eight, though help is on the way. 

 Both netminders, Fleury and Michal Neuvirth, were outstanding in the fourth and final regular-season meeting between these two rivals.

The Capitals have won seven straight on the road against the Penguins.

Did anyone else notice  Ben Lovejoy shove Ovechkin, causing the Capitals captain to fall backward, after the whistle during a scrum in front of the Penguins' net?

Penguins LW Chris Kunitz resumed practicing Monday after missing six games with a lower body injury.