Penguins take Game 1 from Caps on the road

Published April 27, 2017 at 11:51 p.m.
Updated April 27, 2017 at 11:51 p.m.

WASHINGTON — Sidney Crosby outdueled Alex Ovechkin in a vintage goal-for-goal showdown between the NHL’s top teams, and Nick Bonino and Marc-Andre Fleury put the finishing touches on a playoff classic.

Crosby scored two goals in 52 seconds, Bonino had the winner in the third period and Fleury made dazzling saves with and without his stick, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 Thursday night in Game 1 of their highly anticipated second-round series.

Almost eight years after their “dueling hat tricks” game, Ovechkin answered Crosby with his fourth goal of the playoffs, but his team couldn’t compensate for the Penguins captain’s greatness.