games after losing the first two games at home. The Penguins finished second in the division with 100 points and defeated the Flyers in 6 games as well. This would be the third consecutive second round match-up between the two teams. Both teams were missing key players for the start of the series due to injuries sustained in their respective first-round series. The Penguins were without Evgeni Malkin for the first two games and Carl Hagelin for the first three, while the Capitals did not have Andre Burakovsky for the entire series. The scoring in game one started quickly, as Evgeny Kuznetsov netted a breakaway opportunity on a pass from Alexander Ovechkin just 17 seconds into the game. Ovechkin himself then doubled the lead on another quick strike, only 28 seconds into the third period. The Penguins responded with three goals in a five-minute span, with Patric Hornqvist and Jake Guentzel scoring off deflections and Sidney Crosby potting the game-tying goal. The comeback resulted in a 3–2 victory for Pittsburgh. The Capitals came back to tie the series after a convincing second game victory, with the help of a 32-save effort from Braden Holtby. The scoring began quickly again, as Ovechkin recorded the first tally just over a minute into the game. Lars Eller assisted on each of the next two goals, as rookie Jakub Vrana scored his first career playoff goal on the power play and Brett Connolly sniped a breakaway chance two minutes into the second period. The Penguins appeared to have fought their way back to a 3–2 deficit, but a potential tap-in goal from Patric Hornqvist was disallowed following video review. The Capitals took the 4–1 victory and a tied series to Pittsburgh. Game three was an exciting back-and-forth affair, with three lead changes. Following a scoreless first period, John Carlson fired a slap shot past Matt Murray less than a minute into the second period: the third time the Capitals had scored in the first minute of a period in the series. Guentzel and Hornqvist replied for the Penguins, with Malkin assisting the latter power play goal in his first game back. The two teams continued alternating scoring, with goals from Chandler Stephenson, Crosby, and Matt Niskanen. With the game tied 3–3 and a little over a minute left in regulation, Washington took the lead off an odd man chance. Ovechkin initially hit the post