Photo: Joe Sargent/Getty Images

The Washington Capitals pounded the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 5-2 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday afternoon. The victory lifted the Capitals two points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers for first in the Metropolitan Division with both teams down to 14 games left by the end of the day. Goaltender Braden Holtby made 26 saves in the win.

Capitals’ Lines at Penguins

Capitals lines vs Penguins:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-WIlson
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Hagelin-Eller-Kovalchuk
Panik-Dowd-Hathaway

Dillon-Carlson
Orlov-Jensen
Siegenthaler-Kempny

Holtby

*same lines as last game vs NYR

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) March 7, 2020

The Capitals made no lineup changes on forward and defense from their 6-5 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Defenseman Radko Gudas remained out of the lineup.

First Period

Center Nic Dowd one-timed one from the slot after getting a feed from forward Garnet Hathaway, who extended his point streak to three where he has two goals and three points, from behind the net to open the scoring for the Capitals 1:52 in. With an assist, forward Richard Panik also extended his point streak to five games, where he has one goal and five points.

🚨 DOWDER WIDE OPEN IN FRONT! #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/t6g4GQfVKM

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2020

Center Nicklas Backstrom roofed on to the top corner in front of the net after forward Jakub Vrana sent him behind the Penguins’ defense to make it 2-0 at 16:16.

🚨Backy hits the top corner after a beautiful passing play through center 👀#CapsPens pic.twitter.com/fUuHedktvK

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2020

Panik potted one in from the side of the goal after defenseman Nick Jensen fed him wide open to finish a three-way passing play to extended the lead to 3-0 with 1:22 left in the first. It marked Panik’s second consecutive multi-point game.

🚨 Panik with the patient placement of the puck *chef’s kiss* pic.twitter.com/ipCF1PSRFr

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2020

The Capitals led 12-6 in shots, 15-8 in hits, 6-4 in blocked shots, and didn’t get a power-play in the opening 20 minutes.

The Penguins won 61% of the faceoffs and didn’t convert on two power-plays in the first.

Neither team had a takeaway while both were credited with three takeaways through one.

Second Period

Holtby robbed center Jared McCann with a low right pad save on a penalty shot with 1:22 left. He has now stopped five of the seven penalty shots he has faced in his career.

a beast in his natural habitat pic.twitter.com/wtazxOXljT

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) March 7, 2020

The Capitals led 19-13 in shots, 38-18 in hits, 10-7 in blocked shots, didn’t convert on one power-play, and had only three giveaways while the Penguins had seven through 40 minutes.

The Penguins led 3-2 in takeaways, went 0-for-3 on the power-play, and won 53% of the draws in the first two periods.

Each team fired seven shots in net in the second period.

Third Period

Dowd buried a feed on a two-on-one shorthanded rush with forward Carl Hagelin high glove on goaltender Matt Murray for his second of the game to make it 4-0 34 seconds into the third. His three shorthanded goals this season are tied for the fourth-most in the NHL. This was Dowd’s first career multi-goal game and second multi-point game of the season (two assists in Capitals’ 5-2 win at San Jose Sharks on December 3).

62 ➡️ 26 ➡️ 62 ➡️ 26 #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/RfwdQICWRE

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2020

Captain Sidney Crosby tapped in a pass from forward Conor Sheary at the doorstep on the forecheck to dent the Capitals’ lead to 4-1 at 5:09.

Center Evgeni Malkin wristed one from out high past the glove of Holtby on the power-play to cut the Capitals’ lead in half with 7:44 left.

Forward T.J. Oshie responded 56 seconds later with a wrist shot to the top right corner after Backstrom fed him from behind the net to extend the lead to 5-2. The goal was his 26th of the season and sixth in his past eight games vs. the Penguins.

🚨 AND OSH TAKES THAT ONE BACK! #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/25805Mz6Td

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 7, 2020

The Capitals led 45-25 in hits, 17-10 in blocked shots, didn’t convert on one power-play, and had only five giveaways while the Penguins had seven.

The Penguins led 15-9 in third period shots, 8-2 in takeaways, went one-for-five on the power-play, and won 53% of the draws.

Each team fired 28 shots on net.

The Capitals conclude their three-game Northeastern road trip against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. Action from KeyBank Center can be seen on NBC Sports Washington beginning at 7 PM ET.

By Harrison Brown