In a last-one-out-turn-off-the-lights game, Kris Letang scored from the top of the slot on a power play at 1:20 of overtime Thursday to give the host Pittsburgh Penguins a 7-6 win over the rival Washington Capitals.
Letang finished with two goals and an assist, Jake Guentzel scored twice and Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh in its season opener.
T.J. Oshie scored twice in 21 seconds in the third period for a 6-6 tie and added an assist for Washington (1-0-1).
Jamie Oleksiak scored at 1:49 of the first, a blast from the top of the left circle off the glove of Washington goalie Braden Holtby (34 saves) for a 1-0 Pittsburgh lead.
At 3:30 of the first, Jakub Vrana tied it after getting a fortuitous bounce off the end boards.
Former Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead when he scored from the left point at 4:18 of the first.
Guentzel's first goal, on a power play at 7:27 of the first, tied it again. He finished off a wobbly shot from the slot by Daniel Sprong.
Washington regained the lead, 3-2, at 8:00 when Alex Ovechkin redirected a pass from Christian Djoos under goaltender Matt Murray (30 saves).
Letang made it 3-3 just 30 seconds into the second when he took a backhand feed from Sidney Crosby and scored from the left point.
The Capitals took another lead at 3:54 of the second. John Carlson kept the puck and scored on a two-on-one to make it 4-3.
Guentzel struck again on a redirection for a 4-4 tie at 15:09 of the second.
The Penguins took a 5-4 lead when Derick Brassard got a rebound and scored on a backhander at 16:58 of the second. Pittsburgh forged the game's first two-goal difference at 2:45 of the third when Malkin one-timed a circle-to-circle pass from Letang to make it 6-4.
After a Penguins turnover, Oshie scored from the slot at 13:01 to pull Washington to within 6-5, and he deflected in another at 13:22 for a 6-6 tie.
--Field Level Media
Washington | Pittsburgh | |
T.J. Oshie 3 | Points | Kris Letang 3 |
T.J. Oshie 2 | Goals | Kris Letang 2 |
T.J. Oshie 1 | Assists | Evgeni Malkin 2 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Kris Letang 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Braden Holtby .829 | Save Percentage | Matt Murray .833 |
Braden Holtby 34 | Saves | Matt Murray 30 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Washington | 36 | 6 | 0-2 | 4-6 | 12 | 33 |
Pittsburgh | 41 | 7 | 2-6 | 2-2 | 4 | 37 |