NHL playoff scores 2017: Capitals decisively force tantalizing Game 7 with Penguins

Delicious.

That’s the best way to describe the Game 7 awaiting us between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. You know, besides the fact it’s the first of two Game 7s that night.

Washington’s history of playoff failures and disappointments is long, but losing this Game 7 would be the worst of them. Second-straight year as the NHL’s best regular season team. Big splash at the deadline for Kevin Shattenkirk. As deep and as talented as ever. Erased a 3-1 series deficit to your rivals ... only to lose Game 7 at home in front of your tortured fans?

Ouch.

Flip the script and Game 7 is still tantalizing. The Penguins are (literally) hobbled with built-in excuses, but if they lose that decisive game they’ll be the defending champions that blew a 3-1 series lead in the second round forever. The defending champion rivals that Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals finally, finally vanquished.

Someone’s going to regret how Wednesday night ends for a long time. We can’t wait to see who.

Capitals 5, Penguins 2 (series tied, 3-3)

Pittsburgh was (and should’ve been) lauded for not trading Marc-Andre Fleury after Matt Murray got injured minutes before the playoffs even began. The veteran had been sensational, and honestly one of the few good reasons the Penguins had a vicegrip on this series so early despite so many injuries.

But the last two games have been poor for Fleury. He gave up a late game-winning goal in Game 5 and never stood a chance in Game 6; Andre Burakovsky’s goal in the second period was as good an indicator as any Fleury was off his game. It would be so cruel for a rejuvenated Fleury to carry the Penguins this far and then be a big reason why they get eliminated.

Oshie hadn’t scored since Game 5 of the first round. That was back on April 21. Washington’s best players have stepped up to deliver this Game 7, sure, but Oshie hadn’t been one of them.

Then Oshie finished a beautiful power play goal to open the scoring and assisted on Nicklas Backstrom’s goal 16 seconds into the third period to help put the Penguins away for good. He back.

Remember, Crosby suffered a diagnosed concussion just a week ago. So the fact he fell like this was scary. So was this:

This is all fine.

No impact moments. Nobody impacted anything hard.