Capitals vs. Penguins: Washington can take advantage of a weaker Pittsburgh lineup in Game 4

The Penguins will be without Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary for Game 4. That’s in addition to Pittsburgh’s already depleted lineup missing Kris Letang and Matt Murray.

Even still, Game 3 ended with the Penguins tying the Capitals in the final two minutes of the third, before Washington pulled out a much-needed win to cut Pittsburgh’s series lead in half.

The Capitals now have a unique opportunity to even the series while the Penguins best players sit out of the lineup. Game 4 on Wednesday is as crucial as mid-series games come.

The Penguins are still deadly without their best player. The last two minutes of Game 3 were simultaneously expected and shocking. It’s a testament to how deep the Penguins lineup is. Despite losing Crosby, they were able to generate a pair of goals in under two minutes to push the Capitals to the brink.

Braden Holtby. The Capitals netminder was the best he’s been in this series in Game 3. Holtby saved 28 of 30 Penguins shots, but overall looked more in control and comfortable in net. Though we didn’t see how Holtby responded in overtime to the Penguins two goals as the Capitals ended it quickly, the opening moments of Game 4 will be a good test to see how on his game he is.

None for the Capitals, with Crosby, Sheary, Letang, and Murray still out for Pittsburgh.

How much of a difference will Crosby’s absence cause? We know the Penguins did just fine in Game 3, but Wednesday is a whole new ballgame. Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury will have to be the Penguins’ biggest contributors if they want to put the Capitals on the edge.

The Capitals. A weakened Pittsburgh lineup puts up a fight, but a healthy Capitals squad wins out to even the series.