The Pittsburgh Penguins did it again. Their top end skill is overcoming the waves of Washington's attack. By winning two games in Washington it doesn't matter if it is sustainable or not. They stole two games they didn't have any business being in and now the Capitals are in real trouble.

Frustration and panic is starting to mount in the nation's capital and it started with the head coach. Down two goals heading into the third period Barry Trotz pulled his Vezina winning goaltender to put Philipp Grubauer in.

More Trotz on Holtby: "He's a game-changer for us and so when he didn't change the game, I just looked to change the mojo there."

— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 30, 2017

This isn't on the same level as the USSR pulling Vladislav Tretiak against the Americans, but it is a very similar concept. One that backfired for both coaches. Grubauer rewarded his coach with a .778 save percentage which was lower than Holtby's miserable .786.

Here's what Holtby has had to deal with.

I have no idea how Kessel scored on this angle. How many players on earth could pick this spot? pic.twitter.com/TBE0GSXqBz

— Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) April 30, 2017

I mean, I'm not sure what else there is to say about a play like that except... Phil!

watching that Crosby → Kessel replay like pic.twitter.com/kFuEUeQaRH

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 30, 2017

That's our reaction too, coach.

All three goals Holtby allowed were on breakaways or odd man rushes. The problem lies with allowing those chances more than Holtby. Sure, you'd like to think a top level goalie can steal one of those saves and a lot of times they will, but it is a lot to ask against a team like Pittsburgh who can strike offensively as good as any team in the sport.

The frustration boiled over in the locker room for Washington as Nicklas Backstrom laid into his fellow teammates.

Message in team meeting after game?
Matt Niskanen: "None of your business."

— Katie Brown (@katiebhockey) April 30, 2017

Here's the thing. It's OK for Washington to be frustrated. Who wouldn't be after how the first two games played out? It's not OK for panic decisions to start seeping into the game plan like the goalie change. What Pittsburgh has done the last two games is extreme

In series, Caps have attempted 171 shots to Pens' 86. Basically double the number. Pens have outscored them, 9-4.

— Bob Grove (@bobgrove91) April 30, 2017

For those who were asking about closest Cup-winning comp to what Pens are doing: Bruins in '11 were at 10.15 shooting, 93.77 save percentage

— Bill West (@BWest_Trib) April 30, 2017

Pittsburgh's secret is their plentiful PDO stash



All that said, the series isn't over. I remember a certain team in 2009 that was down 0-2 in the second round and found a way to turn it around, but it is tough to compete with this.

This series is basically Crosby/Malkin/Phil going nuts, Fleury stopping pucks, and the Caps not cashing in when they dominated.

— C. Tompkins (@Null_HHockey) April 30, 2017

Marc-Andre Fleury is having the best playoff statistical performance of his career. If you predicted that you are a liar. Even his most loyal supporters didn't think he had a 2008 run left in him. Here's what he had to say after the game

Marc-Andre Fleury and the Penguins are leaving Washington up 2-0 in series after two road wins. pic.twitter.com/i3BcUyMFvR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 30, 2017

Sidney Crosby is doing special things once again. This zone entry is the good stuff.

Crosby takes controlled entry to a whole new level. pic.twitter.com/iIewG0DeoW

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) April 30, 2017

Many players can take a pass behind them and drag it through their legs to their stick. The difference between when a regular player tries that versus Sidney Crosby is how Crosby doesn't break his skating stride and when he pulls the puck through it is surgically placed at the perfect spot on his forehand while in-between two defenders. It looks effortless and it is for 87.

Here's Sid turning defense into offense.



Jake is good.

That's some elite company, @jakenbake20. pic.twitter.com/pQDgRt9zLk

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 30, 2017

Guentzel finished with three points. Phil finished with three points. Sid and Geno each added two. Here are your leading scorers in the playoffs



Not bad.

It isn't lost on Mike Sullivan that the team is spending a lot of time in their own end

Summary of Sullivan conf call: No updates on Hornqvist, Kuhni; coach is not OK w/ Caps' zone-time edge but loves how Pens defending in DZ.

— Bill West (@BWest_Trib) April 30, 2017

Pittsburgh did another nice job of managing the shot volume from Washington



This is what has been the Penguins saving grace. The high-danger areas have been hard to come by for Washington's players. The only wart on Fleury's postseason resume this year is that his high-danger save percentage is sitting at 75.0%. That is third worst among all playoff goaltenders. It isn't an issue when the team isn't allowing those kinds of chances.

It remains to be seen how injured Patric Hornqvist and Tom Kuhnhackl are. Both left the game and did not return. Replacing Kuhnhackl is pretty straight forward. You put Scott Wilson back in the lineup. Replacing Hornqvist isn't something that will be easily done.

Carter Rowney would be the next forward up, but I'm not so sure the Penguins shouldn't go 11 forwards and seven defensemen with Mark Streit getting a chance to play.

The series will resume on Monday night back in Pittsburgh. It will be the biggest game of the Alex Ovechkin era in Washington. Is this the year they can overcome adversity or is it just another playoff year against the Penguins?

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