Jagr scores as Caps down Penguins
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jaromir Jagr scored his 13th goal of the season and Olaf Kolzig made 16 saves as the slumping Washington Capitals beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 Tuesday night. The Capitals, 3-7-1 in their past 11 games, beat Pittsburgh for the first time since acquiring Jagr from the Penguins in July 2001 and snapped a five-game winless streak against Pittsburgh.
Kolzig’s bid for his first career shutout of the Penguins and first shutout of the season was ruined by Mario Lemieux, who directed Alexei Kovalev’s pass behind Kolzig with 2:53 to play for his 12th goal of the season.
Former Pittsburgh center Robert Lang also scored for the Capitals, who gave the Penguins only three power-play chances and fired 32 shots at goaltender Johan Hedberg.
It was the second straight home loss for the Penguins, who lost 3-2 to Boston on Saturday.
Ivan Ciernik gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 8:46 of the first period with his second goal of the season, extending his scoring streak to six games. Hedberg stopped Ken Klee’s shot from the right point, but Ciernik converted the rebound from between the circles.
Michael Nylander also assisted on the goal, extending his scoring streak to eight games.
Jagr scored for the second straight game at 13:10 when he circled behind the Pittsburgh goal and threw a centering pass into the slot that bounced off the skate of Pittsburgh defenseman Marc Bergevin and past Hedberg.
Lang scored his seventh goal of the season at 1:48 of the second period when he beat Ian Moran to the rebound of his own shot from the right circle, knocking the puck past Hedberg from a sharp angle.
Jeff Halpern made it 4-0 at 2:53 of the third period when he redirected Mike Grier’s pass that had deflected off the stick of Pittsburgh defenseman Andrew Ference. It was Halpern’s fourth goal of the season and first in 13 games.
NOTES: The Penguins played without Dick Tarnstrom (broken foot) and Alexandre Daigle, who was scratched for the first time this season. … Washington scratched Dainius Zubrus (hand), Jean-Francois Fortin (flu), Alex Henry and Steve Eminger. . . Jagr played in his 900th NHL game. … The Capitals recalled defenseman Jason Doig from Portland of the AHL and gave him a regular shift. … Former Pittsburgh defenseman Rick Berry also had an assist.