Pittsburgh @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 2, 2020 ) Pittsburgh 4, Washington 3

Alex Ovechkin put the quest to reach 700 career goals behind him and 24 hours later the 34-year-old can turn attention to getting his Washington Capitals back on top of the Metropolitan Division when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Ovechkin became the eighth player in NHL history to reach the milestone, but the Capitals dropped a 3-2 decision at New Jersey on Saturday and are in a virtual tie with the Penguins for first after going 2-6-1 in the last nine games.

“That’s pretty good company, so I’m happy to be there,” Ovechkin told reporters of joining the group led by Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801). “But we have to focus on different things and right now it’s important points for us and (Sunday) is going to be a big game.” The Penguins won the first of four battles between the two division rivals 4-3 on Feb. 2, improving to 4-1-1 in the last six meetings, but have won only half of eight games since and were outscored 9-2 to lose the last two after Saturday’s 5-2 setback versus Buffalo on home ice. Evgeni Malkin (team-leading 60 points) registered both goals in the loss for Pittsburgh, which had a 43-26 advantage in shots but allowed a pair of power-play goals and gave the puck away 11 times. “I’m both disappointed and concerned,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told reporters of his team, which has played one fewer game than Washington. “We’re saying the right things, but our actions have to follow our words. … It’s not good enough to just play hard. You have to play smart.”

TIME: Noon ET. TV: NBC, TVA

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (37-17-6): Captain Sidney Crosby was kept off the scoresheet in the last two games, but had 11 of his 40 points in the previous five contests and needs two assists to become the second player in franchise history to reach 800. Right wing Patric Hornqvist recorded an assist Saturday and boasts nine points (three goals) in his last 10 games while Bryan Rust (48 points) has made the scoresheet in one of nine games this month. Tristan Jarry made 21 saves in Saturday’s loss and Matt Murray (17-8-5, .903 save percentage) is expected to get the call Sunday after going 7-2-1 in his last 10 outings.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (37-18-6): Ovechkin has scored in two straight games to push his total to 42 goals - 18 more than any other player on the team - and power forward Tom Wilson pulled within one of his second straight with at least 20 on Saturday. Forward Jakub Vrana has not added to his 23-goal total in 11 games, but needs one point to reach 50 for the first time in his career after logging seven assists during that stretch. All-Star Braden Holtby (21-13-5, .896 SP) will likely be between the pipes Sunday, trying to snap a three-game losing streak, after Ilya Samsonov turned aside 26 shots in Saturday’s setback.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh F Dominik Kahun (10 goals, 27 points) missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day.

2. Washington C Evgeny Kuznetsov needs one goal to reach 20 for the third straight season and four in five years.

3. Crosby and Ovechkin have squared off 50 times in the regular season with Crosby winning 31.

PREDICTION: Capitals 3, Penguins 2