Steckel’s OT goal wins it, Capitals force Game 7 by beating Penguins 5-4

Stekel’s goal wins it 5-4 for Caps in OT

PITTSBURGH — David Steckel scored on a deflection of Brooks Laich’s shot and the Washington Capitals finally won an overtime playoff game, beating nemesis Pittsburgh 5-4 on Monday night to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Capitals, losers of their seven previous overtime games, couldn’t hold a 4-3 lead late in regulation when Sidney Crosby scored, but made up for it when Steckel went to the net immediately after winning a faceoff. Laich wristed the puck on net from the right circle and Steckel put it past Marc-Andre Fleury 6:22 into the overtime.

The game before, Steckel couldn’t score into an open net early in overtime and the Penguins won 3-2 in Washington on Evgeni Malkin’s goal to take a 3-2 lead into the potential closeout game on Monday. Instead, Game 7 will be Wednesday night in Washington.