Overview
- Ottawa’s 3-0 win over the Islanders on Saturday knocked Washington out of the East’s second wild card and shifted its only route to the Metro race.
- Washington then beat Pittsburgh 6-3 to stay in that hunt, improving to 91 points with two games left.
- Sidney Crosby did not play because of a lower-body issue, and rookies Ilya Protas and Ryan Leonard keyed the Capitals’ win with milestone goals.
- Pittsburgh had already clinched a playoff berth and at least the No. 2 Metropolitan seed with Thursday’s 5-2 win in New Jersey, opening the door to rest choices.
- Elsewhere Saturday, the Bruins and Senators clinched postseason spots, and Detroit’s loss to New Jersey sealed a 10th straight playoff miss.