WASHINGTON -- When speaking on Saturday about the Penguins previous two losses to the Maple Leafs and Sabres, Mike Sullivan pointed to the team's mindset as an issue in both games.
“I know our guys know how to play," Sullivan said Saturday. "That’s not that’s not the issue. For me, the challenge is the mindset. You know: Are we are we thinking the right way before the puck drops? How we committed are we? And are we willing to play that way for 60 minutes? That’s a discipline. And we haven’t had that the last few games."
On Sunday, the Penguins fell 5-3 to the Capitals here in Washington, marking only the second time all season the Penguins lost three consecutive games, after previously losing three in a row from Oct. 19-23.
This one was different, though. After the poor showings in the losses to Toronto and Buffalo, the Penguins were actually pleased with their effort in this game.
"I thought we played real well," Sullivan said after Sunday's loss. "I thought it was one of our better games in awhile. I thought we had a lot of really good moments in the game."
The Penguins outshot the Capitals, 36-23, including 27-18 at even strength. They were driving to the net and getting off quality shots, with 12 of their attempts at five-on-five coming from the high-danger areas, twice as many high-danger attempts as the Capitals registered in that time. Looking at the shot attempt differential chart, the game was trending in the Penguins' favor for most of the game:
They just weren't able to finish on enough of the opportunities they earned, and made costly mistakes on which the Capitals capitalized.
"We came out with a better effort today," Jared McCann told me after the game. "It was unfortunate that we didn't get two points, the effort was there. We just have to keep moving forward."
The Capitals opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first period after Marcus Pettersson was just beat by Jakub Vrana and knocked the puck into the net after being knocked down:
"He's fast," Pettersson said of Vrana's goal. "He's fast. It was kind of a broken play at first, I thought it was going to come out from the faceoff circle a little bit harder. I didn't know if I was going to play it or back off. I was kind of in between. He's fast."
With goals by Patric Hornqvist and Sidney Crosby coming 26 seconds apart in the second period, the Penguins took the lead and were able to briefly shift the momentum. Hornqvist won a battle for a puck along the boards then was able to pop the puck up and over the pads of Braden Holtby:
Crosby took a backhand shot as he was falling to the ice that was knocked into the net by a sliding John Carlson:
The Capitals tied the game in the third period on a play that started with another misplay by Pettersson. A neutral zone turnover led to a goal from Tom Wilson:
"I've got to play it better," Pettersson said. "Move the puck a little bit earlier, I maybe tried to do a little bit too much."
"Overall I think we were the better team," Hornqvist said. "We didn't get the start we wanted in the third period to get that breakaway goal after a turnover, but that happens in hockey. I think we responded really well after that."
Former Penguin Carl Hagelin regained the lead for the Capitals three minutes later, but an outstanding goal off an individual effort from Evgeni Malkin tied the game again. Immediately after the Capitals' in-arena video tribute to Carlson for recently becoming the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in franchise history, Malkin streaked down the left side of the ice, spun Carlson around as he put the puck through his feet, and finished it off to tie the game:
TJ Oshie scored the eventual game-winner after poking a rebound chance past Murray, then Hagelin sealed the win with an empty net goal.
"We got the tying goal, then they scored on a scrum in front of their net to find the puck and that was the game for them," Hornqvist said. "Overall I think we were the better team, and it's two good teams going after it. It's a hell of a matchup. It was fun out there. We have something special in both teams."
"It's disappointing we didn't get the result," Sullivan said. "But I thought we played a much better hockey game. It was a competitive game. They're a good team, we're a good team. I really liked our game. I thought we played on our toes, we were skating, we moved our feet, the power play was good. We didn't score, we did everything but score. There was a lot to like about this game. That's what I told the guys afterwards."
They'll look to have that committed, 60-minute effort on this upcoming California road trip.
"It's easy to talk the talk," McCann told me. "But we need to come out with an effort like we had today against L.A. on the western road trip."
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