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Penguins pip Caps to level series

Apr 30, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Eric Fehr (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring the go-ahead goal against the Washington Capitals in the third period in game two of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (The Sports Xchange) - Eric Fehr scored the game-winning goal against his former team with 4:28 left to play and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Saturday night, evening their best-of-seven series at one game apiece. Fehr, who spent nine seasons with Washington, deflected an Evgeny Malkin feed past Braden Holtby from the slot for his second goal of the playoffs. The series now shifts to Pittsburgh for the Game 3 on Monday night. Carl Hagelin also scored for the Penguins, and Matt Murray made 23 saves. The Capitals trailed 1-0 after being outshot 28-14 through two periods, but tied it on a power-play goal early in the third. With Kris Letang off for tripping, Marcus Johansson notched his second goal of the playoffs when he poked home the rebound of a John Carlson shot at 4:08. Washington had gone 15 consecutive power plays without a goal before Johansson converted. Fehr's goal came minutes after Mike Richards missed an open net chance for Washington. Pittsburgh, which went 0 for 5 on the power play, has not lost back-to-back games since a pair of overtime defeats on Jan. 12th and 15th. Holtby made 33 saves for the Capitals. The Capitals mustered just one shot on goal during the first 15 minutes of the game. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh dictated the pace of play, finishing with a 14-5 shot advantage, but only tested Holtby a few times during the scoreless period. The Penguins finally cracked the code at 7:08 of the second when Nick Bonino came away with the puck after a battle along the boards. He skated behind Holtby and fed in front to Hagelin, whose one-timer beat Holtby to the glove side. It was Bonino's seventh assist of the playoffs. The Capitals nearly tied it just over two minutes later when Jason Chimera hit a post. Washington thought they had tied it after a furious scramble in front of Murray late in the second. Nate Schmidt got control of the puck and fired over the prone goalie, but the score was immediately waved off and Evgeny Kuznetsov, who had fallen on Murray knocking him to the ice, was penalized for goalie interference. Penguins' defenseman Olli Maatta was slow to get up after a high hit from Brooks Orpik four minutes into the game. Maatta was helped off the ice and didn't return, and Orpik was penalized for interference.