It wasn’t a hockey night in Pittsburgh.

After all, Saturday’s game started at 3:21 p.m.

(And a bit later for anyone forced to take in the contest on ABC’s delayed telecast, which missed approximately the first two-and-a-half minutes of regulation.)

But the Penguins celebrated Mike Lange, the man who made hockey nights in Pittsburgh so special for decades, following his death at age 76 on Wednesday. Then they played their first game in a fortnight.

With the NHL largely taking a two-week break for the league’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the Penguins got back into the heat of a hot kitchen and were beaten like a rented mule in an 8-3 loss against the rival Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena.

The Capitals offered more moves than Mae West and overwhelmed the Penguins, at least in the second half.

The game was played at a fairly even pace for nearly 30 minutes before the Capitals unleashed a tsunami of offense.

“I think it was 5:43 in the second period, the shots were 19-9 (in favor of the Penguins),” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “We had twice as much offensive zone time as we did in the defensive zone. We felt pretty good about where the game was at even though we were down a goal. Then, we chased offense. And when you chase offense and you don’t have a recognition of risk/reward, you end up giving your opponents easy offense. As a result, that’s what we get.

“We beat ourselves so many different ways.”

Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic was beaten in a myriad of ways as he stopped only nine of 14 shots as his record fell to 12-10-5. He was pulled after only 34:25 of ice time and replaced by rookie Joel Blomqvist.

“It’s the first game back off the break,” Sullivan said. “It’s not an easy game for anybody. I just felt like we needed to make a change at that particular point in time.”

Capitals forward Ethen Frank opened the scoring somewhat immediately with his fourth goal of the season 5:13 into regulation.

Accepting a pass at the Penguins’ blue line, Capitals forward Andrew Mangiapane streaked in on a breakaway. Upon arrival, he veered slightly to the right, drawing Nedeljkovic out of his crease, and chipped the puck to the opposite side of the crease. As a rush of players from each team hustled back, Frank managed to direct the puck with his left skate into the vacant cage. Officials immediately ruled it a valid goal and then verified it with a brief video review. Mangiapane and defenseman Rasmus Sandin had assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Ethen Frank with 14:47 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Andrew Mangiapane and Rasmus Sandin.

Pittsburgh: 0Washington: 1#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/kE7izpTZkN

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

The Penguins tied the game at 18:21 when defenseman Kris Letang logged his eighth goal during a power-play opportunity at 18:21 of the first period.

Off some determined work on Washington’s right wing boards by Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin, Danton Heinen and Philip Tomasino, Malkin slid a pass to the left circle where Letang clapped a one-timer by Logan Thompson’s glove on the near side. Malkin and Tomasino tallied assists.

Power play goal for Pittsburgh!

Scored by Kris Letang with 01:39 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Philip Tomasino.

Pittsburgh: 1Washington: 1#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/tL1GXmgrO7

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

The visitors regained a lead when defenseman Martin Fehervary scored his second goal 70 seconds into the second period.

From his own left circle, Capitals forward Nic Dowd banked a loose puck off the near glass and into the neutral zone. Former Erie Otters forward Taylor Raddysh deadened the puck near the home penalty box, allowing linemate Brandon Duhaime to rush it into the Penguins’ zone on the right wing, creating a two-on-one with Fehervary against Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph. Accepting a dish from Duhaime, Fehervary advanced to the left hashmarks and pumped a low wrister to the near side by Nedeljkovic’s blocker. Duhaime and Raddysh registered assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Martin Fehervary with 18:50 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.

Pittsburgh: 1Washington: 2#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/kKdl5gkXc6

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, less than 48 hours removed from leading Canada to victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off, tied the game again, 2-2, via his 18th goal at 6:36 of the second frame.

After stopping a dump-in near his own left corner, Nedeljkovic tapped a pass to the left half-wall for Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson. Turning to his right, Karlsson directed a cross-ice pass to forward Rickard Rakell, stationed at the center red line. In one motion, Rakell swiped a centering pass for Crosby, who burst into the offensive zone one on one against Capitals defenseman Matt Roy. Driving to the right circle, Crosby flicked a backhander that leaked through Thompson’s five hole. Assists were recorded to Rakell and Karlsson.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Sidney Crosby with 13:24 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 2#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/FNLnL4iBbH

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

The Capitals erupted for four scores within a span of 7:33 to close the second period, beginning with defenseman Jakob Chychrun’s 15th goal at the 10:38 mark.

Off a cross-ice pass by Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, Chychrun entered the offensive zone on the left wing. Encountering Penguins defenseman Vincent Desharnais in the near circle, Chychrun dragged the puck by Desharnais and snapped a sinister wrister by Nedeljovic’s blocker on the near side. Dubois and linemate Connor McMichael had assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Jakob Chychrun with 09:22 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 3#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/DepoBo5Wok

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

Chychrun struck again at the 14:17 mark.

Digging a puck out of the right corner of the offensive zone, Dupuis slid a pass to the left point for Chychrun, who stroked a wrister through a phalanx of bodies and past Nedeljkovic’s glove on the far side. Assists went to Dubois and defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk.

Washington goal!

Scored by Jakob Chychrun with 05:43 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Trevor van Riemsdyk.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 4#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/K5EZK9cVdT

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

The rout was on at the 14:25 mark when Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas struck for his 23rd goal.

Off the ensuing faceoff, Sandin snapped a stretch pass from his own zone to the far blue line, springing Protas on an offensive rush. As Penguins forward Noel Acciari stumbled, Protas proceeded in on net mostly unimpeded and lasered a wrister by Nedeljkovic’s glove. Sandin and defensive partner John Carlson collected assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Aliaksei Protas with 05:35 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Rasmus Sandin and John Carlson.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 5#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/PuXwx6mXH7

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

That score prompted Penguins coaches to pull Nedeljkovic, potentially with humanitarian concerns in mind.

Any hopes that maneuver would stymie the Capitals were nullified when forward Tom Wilson scored his 25th goal at the 18:05 mark.

Accepting a pass near the left point of the offensive zone, Roy left a drop pass on a cross-over with Fehervary, who chucked a wrister toward the cage. Mostly unimpeded, Wilson established position above the crease and tipped the puck through an avenue between Blomqvist’s glove and left leg. Fehervary and Roy had assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Tom Wilson with 01:55 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Martin Fehervary and Matt Roy.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 6#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/l1cQTR5z7A

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

Capitals forward Dylan Strome got in on the act with his 17th goal during a power-play sequence at 13:11 of the third period.

Settling a puck in the Penguins’ left corner, Dubois shoveled it to the near circle for Raddysh, who offloaded it to the right circle. With ample time to operate, Strome gripped and ripped a wrister by Blomqvist’s glove on the near side. Assists went to Raddysh and Dubois.

Power play goal for Washington!

Scored by Dylan Strome with 06:49 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Taylor Raddysh and Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Pittsburgh: 2Washington: 7#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/VO7yfYlTQd

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

At 14:22 of the final frame, Heinen scored his seventh goal of the season and first since he rejoined the Penguins via a trade on Jan. 31.

Off a neutral zone feed by Heinen, Tomasino streaked into the offensive zone on the right wing and chopped a half-slapper on net. The puck struck Thompson’s right shoulder and deflected to the lower left hashmark where Heinen barged in and tapped in the rebound with a forehand shot. Tomasino and forward Kevin Hayes had assists.

Pittsburgh goal!

Scored by Danton Heinen with 05:38 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Philip Tomasino and Kevin Hayes.

Pittsburgh: 3Washington: 7#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/YVaqizGwxb

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

The scoring was capped at 17:19 of the third via Duhaime’s seventh goal.

After Roy blocked a wrister from Joseph above Washington’s left circle, the rebound caromed deep into the neutral zone and Duhaime hustled past Letang to claim possession. Racing in on net on a breakaway, Duhaime ripped a wrister by Blomqvist’s glove. The lone assist went to Roy.

Washington goal!

Scored by Brandon Duhaime with 02:41 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Matt Roy.

Pittsburgh: 3Washington: 8#WSHvsPIT #LetsGoPens #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/uwK65NdnBf

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

Blomqvist stopped 14 of 17 shots he faced in 25:35 of action.

“A lot of times, we looked too much to create offense and we gave up too many odd-man rushes, and they scored on pretty much all of them,” Rakell said. “It was not a great (performance) for us during the game. It just can’t happen.”

Notes:

• This was the most goals the Penguins gave up since an 8-4 road loss to the New York Rangers on April 6, 2021. Penguins goaltenders Tristan Jarry (11 shots) and Casey DeSmith (14 shots) each allowed four goals with DeSmith absorbing the loss.

• Rakell (159 points) surpassed forward Greg Polis (158) for 57th place on the franchise’s career scoring list.

• Heinen’s last goal for the Penguins came in a 5-2 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, April 11, 2023.

• In 74 career games against the Capitals, Crosby has 93 points (32 goals, 61 assists).

• In 65 career games against the Capitals, Malkin has 81 points (27 goals, 54 assists).

• Penguins forward Boko Imama was scratched due to an undisclosed injury and remains day to day.

• Penguins defensemen Vladislav Kolyachonok and Ryan Shea were healthy scratches.

• Protas recorded his 100th career point.

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